THE uncertainty over the long-awaited Fairlie shore path was this week compared to BREXIT.

Villager Frank Donnachie has hit out at the continued delays with the project which was originally agreed by local councillors five years ago.

We recently revealed that a FOURTH consultation with the public is now due to take place before work begins.

Mr Donnachie, a former community councillor, said: "Why have we been kept waiting? I can't understand why it is taking so long. It is becoming more drawn out than Brexit.

"We were made promises that it was going to happen and work was started at an area on the south side, from the bridge at the car park, but nobody has returned to complete the rest of it.

"It's been shambolic."

Councillor Alan Hill said that he had no doubt that the path would have happened by now - but blamed protestors for the hold up.

He claims work would have started if it hadn't been for local opposition to the development from householders near the seafront.

He said: "It has been a war of attrition

"A great deal of time and money has been spent on trying to get the path underway."

Fairlie community councillor Rita Holmes says that a change in use for the route caused the discontent.

She added: "The problem was that people in general accepted a footpath, but when that became a cycle track, people were against it."

Fellow villager David Telford said: "The whole point of the new shore front path was to take people and bikes off the main road after the lorry crash in 2013.

"There was much talk back then about trying to get a new path along the seafront but it seems like it just keeps getting pushed out into the long grass, which seems to happen a lot in Fairlie.

"It is very disappointing."

Mr Donnachie, a local historian and author, defended the path and says work must start soon.

He added: "There was criticism that the spring tide would come in during the winter months and render parts of the way unusable, but it should still happen to allow pedestrians another option than having to use the narrow pavements on the busy main road."

Councillor Ian Murdoch told the New that he was pursing the matter with Louise Kirk, access officer of North Ayrshire Council.

As we have recently reported, Cllr. Tom Marshall, head of North Ayrshire's Planning Committee, has also taken up the issue the council chief executive Craig Hatton and has also criticised the five year delay of the project.