AYR will receive a slice of £27m funding for active travel announced last week by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

A regeneration of the town centre will transform accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians as well as those with reduced mobility.

The key areas of focus will be the High Street, Sandgate and River Street which will see significant improvements to the public space and creating a safe route to cycle through the town centre.

It will provide a link from the centre to neighbourhoods in the north of the town as well as the beach and education campuses such as Ayrshire College and University West of Scotland to the east.

The project will be one of 200 funded by a walking and cycling charity

The project has provided an important catalyst to bring together stakeholder groups with an interest in active travel and accessibility in Ayr and aims to integrate and expand existing and new behavioural change initiatives to complement the material elements of the project.

Confirming the projects, the First Minister said: “On climate change Scotland is leading globally - but we must support local action too. We want people to walk and cycle more - reducing our carbon footprint and improving our health.

“So I can announce today new investment for local projects the length and breadth of our nation.

“From Ayr to Aberdeen, a fund of £27 million will support more than 200 schemes to make it easier for people to cycle and to walk. That is acting locally as we lead globally in making our contribution to tackling the climate emergency.”