Whilst your editors would have me pigeon holed as a "Roads Campaigner", I would prefer to be recognised as just a member of Joe Public who, in the course of his meanderings, notices failures to the local infrastructure and reports it to the relevant authority. For the record all the roads from to and within Largs are the responsibility of North Ayrshire Council. The exception is the A78 which is the main road through Largs from Greenock to Ayr. The A78 is the responsibility of the Scottish Government who in turn founded the quango Transport Scotland who then subcontracted the A78 Road Maintenance to Scotland Transerv (Balfour Beatty). Still with me?

I would therefore ask your readership if they notice anything wrong with the road or the attendant street drains, then as long as you follow the aforementioned guidelines, then you should call or email either NAC Roads or Scotland Transerv at Southwest control in Glasgow.

In the case of North Ayrshire Council they request that you go online and report a fault via their website. However I would warn you that you require to register with them at the time; then unless you have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all civil engineering road design terminology and are android/computer literate then forget it. The web site is asking us to their job for them by identifying exactly where and what the fault is. (Try it if you have a spare twenty minutes)! Best you email them at contactus@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. or telephone 01294 310000. For the record their current Head of Roads is Campbell Dempster.

Scotland Transerv are much easier to get hold of and they can be emailed at southwestcontrol@scotlandtranserv.co.uk or telephone 0141 218 3800 and ask to be connected to Control. Again for the record their current Area Manager is Martin Gannon.

Winter is surely on us an it is incumbent that we do report faults or nothing will get done. Terry Wogan once remarked "Despite the unsparing efforts of Superman, Batman and Spider-Man, nobody in authority likes a vigilante, or complainers from local pressure groups. They'd rather you paid your taxes and allowed them to have their tea and biscuits in peace." So would we all.

Be vigilant!

Archie Burleigh

Meigle Cottage