Largs: Seafront barrier hasn't been working for days

North Coast councillor Ian Murdoch has put in a number of complaints to North Ayrshire Council regarding the problem as the car park gate has been up since last Wednesday, and said he has not been able to get a direct answer as to when the problem will be rectified.

Ian is angry that during the peak period for people visiting in the summer months that the barrier has not been working.

Car park barrier issue has been problematic throughout summer (Image: Ian Murdoch)

He said: "The barrier has been up since last Wednesday and I have reported it on a number of occasions. It is another serious loss of income, and it is still not operating.

"When you consider that the income revenue from the car park has to go to pay for a number of different costs, including paying off the loan for the £300,000 refurbishment of the seafront public toilets, and other general finance that comes out of the seafront car park, we are losing income hand over fist, and the thing is we have had regular problems throughout the summer - it is worrying indeed to think how much we might have lost, and since last Wednesday, it hasn't earned anything."

Summer of discontent - Cllr Ian Murdoch says he is disappointed in ongoing issues at car park and seafront public toilet delays (Image: Ian Murdoch)

Ian has now written to North Ayrshire Council over a series of frustrations including a delay to the seafront public toilet improvements.

In a letter to North Ayrshire Council, Ian, who opposed the £300,000 spend on the local loos, wrote:" I am totally disillusioned by the way North Ayrshire Council deal with such situations.

"I noticed that there were only a couple of guys on site and this turned in to none. If the contractor accepted a £300,000 contract, should they not have made sure that all materials were available before starting the job?

Skips at compound area in seafront car park (Image: Newsquest)

"In my opinion, this work should not have been carried out during the summer season. I understood the whole contract should have been finished in July. The gents is still not complete and the ladies has not been started yet."
Cllr Murdoch has asked whether the public conveniences will be available for the Viking Festival, and also asked when skips, compounds and welfare unit wouldbe removed from the car park

He added: "The Viking Fair will need access on August 31 and will be there until Monday, September 11.

Ian has asked asked where the skips, compounds and welfare unit will be relocated as they are currently situated in the seafront car park, assisting with the public toilet improvements, calling for them to be placed on the beach - where he thought they shoud have been located in the first place, as opposed to losing valuable car park spaces.

He has also asked if a date has been given for the total completion of the public toilet contract.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “The refurbishment project at the promenade toilets has been impacted by material deliveries and sub-contractor availability. However, the works remain ongoing.

“The delay has meant some additional planning is required in relation to the site compound and Viking festival. This planning is also ongoing.

"There was a fault with the exit barrier from Wednesday 9 August. While the exit payment and counting system were not working the pay station was still working and we were still receiving revenue.

“The barrier was repaired by an engineer on Monday at 9am and is now fully operational.”