Aurs Road Closure FAQ

A revised estimated completion date of spring 2026 has been confirmed for Aurs Road improvement project.

Construction work to improve the route between Barrhead and Newton Mearns started in January 2024, with Aurs Road originally due to be closed for 12 months. In October we communicated a further road closure until summer 2025, now revised to spring 2026.

The transformational Aurs Road project was always going to be exceptionally complex, with a range of factors making it challenging to accurately forecast the time it would take to complete.

In addition to issues already encountered, including challenging ground conditions, moving unmapped utilities and the excavation of a former water works structure, an area of subsidence has necessitated some redesign work, which is ongoing.

Although we are working closely with the contractors to tackle these issues as a matter of urgency, we now estimate that, unfortunately it will be spring 2026 before work on the road is completed and Aurs Road will remain closed until then. We apologise to residents for the delay.

With such a complex project, there is always the risk of unforeseen delays, but the focus is on ensuring all necessary works are carried out to deliver the improvements.

While the project will take longer than expected, these much-needed improvements will be worthwhile in the long term, providing better transport links and an impressive waterside promenade.

Read our latest press release for more information. 

There will be additional costs and these are still being assessed and will be released in due course.

Aurs Road is closed from the junction of Springfield Road in Barrhead to the junction of Stewarton Road in Newton Mearns until spring 2026.

Signed diversion routes are in place via Stewarton Road, Nitshill Road and Darnley Road.

Country roads are not suitable as diversion routes.

The £22.68 million project is being funded through £12.72 million from the Glasgow City Region City Deal, which is made up of £5.5 million in funding by both the UK and Scottish governments and £1.72 million from East Renfrewshire Council. The rest of the funding is provided by Transport Scotland through Sustrans' Places for Everyone programme, the Scottish Government's Bridge Fund and developer contributions from new house building projects in the area.

Civil engineering experts GRAHAM have been appointed to carry out the works. 

Aurs Road will be transformed - from a winding, single carriage road to a safer, straighter road with a new active travel route and stunning waterside promenade overlooking Balgray Reservoir. This will:

• form a safer, more direct local route between Barrhead and Newton Mearns by straightening out two sections of the road and replacing a weak road bridge
• create an impressive waterside promenade with views overlooking Balgray Reservoir as part of a 2km active travel path connecting Barrhead and Newton Mearns to and through Dams to Darnley Country Park and providing a safe link for walking, wheeling and cycling
• contribute to the completion of a long-awaited 4km circular walking and cycling route around Balgray Reservoir for park visitors for the first time
• pave the way for new visitor facilities at Dams to Darnley Country Park.
• create a new car park immediately south-east of Balgray Reservoir, connected to the active travel path and promenade.
• include a new pedestrian crossing point on Aurs Road, just beyond the replacement bridge heading towards Stewarton Road.

Please be assured that access to any properties directly off Aurs Road will be maintained throughout the construction works, however there may be a need to control this access at certain points via temporary traffic lights to facilitate improvements.

If your property is directly impacted, our contractor GRAHAM will be in touch with advance notice of any temporary restrictions.

The closure point of Aurs Road on the Barrhead side is just beyond the entrance to the Avant Homes Weavers Lea development meaning access in and out of the housing development will be unrestricted.

As the project progresses and work moves towards the Springfield Road junction, access will be maintained but may have to be controlled with local access only and temporary traffic lights. Similar arrangements will be in place for homes near Pollok Castle Estate at the Stewarton Road end.

The realignment of Aurs Road will create the site for, and access to, visitor facilities overlooking Balgray Reservoir. Plans for exactly what these facilities will encompass is being worked on at the moment, and we'll provide an update when we know more.

The carpark at Balgraystone Road within Dams to Darnley Country Park remains open.

Other walking routes within the park remain accessible.

A section of path either side of Aurs Road will not be accessible during the works as it will be busy with construction traffic, or because it forms part of the works. We'll liaise closely with the contractor throughout the project in terms of any opportunities to keep path sections open.

We fully appreciate the impact that this will have on visitors regular walking and cycling routes during construction. On a positive note, plans are progressing to enable a circular walking and cycling route to be completed around Balgray Reservoir for the first time, connecting to the finished promenade.

A pedestrian crossing point (just beside the road bridge) will connect the active travel path to the north side of Aurs Road, and the rest of the Barrhead dams. 

The current water level is very low at Balgray and Coalhill reservoirs to allow the works to be undertaken on site. When the work is complete, the level will be raised by Scottish Water. Due to a new culvert being installed, the water level will remain lower than than previously experienced.

Once complete, it will be possible to walk or cycle along Aurs Road from its junction with Springfield Road in Barrhead to its junction with Stewarton Road in Newton Mearns.

The junction of Stewarton Road and Aurs Road is being looked at as part of the Balgray Links project. This project is currently in the design stages and aims to continue active travel links along Barrhead Road into Newton Mearns. It will follow on from the Aurs Road project and we'll provide more information as plans are developed.