Transport Scotland is going out to tender for the construction of the proposed A737 Dalry bypass in Ayrshire.

The A737 Dalry Bypass involves the construction of a new bypass and associated junctions to the east of Dalry. The new bypass will connect with the existing A737 trunk road.

The contract notice, published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), puts the construction costs in the range of £34m to £38m.

Scotland’s transport minister, Derek Mackay, said: “This notice marks an important milestone for the Dalry Bypass because it ensures that this critical infrastructure project remains on schedule to start construction during the coming financial year 2016/17.

“The new road will be a key driver in improving economic and employment opportunities in the area by providing better journey time reliability and enhancing connectivity. It will also enhance safety by separating local road users from longer distance, strategic traffic.”

The notice can be viewed on the Public Contracts Scotland website.