Ayrshire beaches get ready for the Jubilee

No alcohol, no antisocial behaviour - just fun in the sun!

That's the message from Councils, emergency services, NHS and other partners in Ayrshire as the Ayrshire Safer Shores 2022 campaign launches ahead of the Jubilee holiday.

Ayrshire Safer Shores is a partnership initiative involving Abellio ScotRail, British Red Cross, British Transport Police, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, North and South Ayrshire Councils, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, and Scottish Fire and Rescue.

The purpose of Safer Shores is to safeguard members of the public and others that visit the Ayrshire coast during the 'beach season', ensuring people can travel safely, are safe from crime and disorder and have a pleasant visitor experience.

Alongside this, partners work to maintain Ayrshire's status as a leading visitor destination and minimise any impact on local communities and have a comprehensive plan in place to help achieve this.

The plan sets out what partners will do to maximise public safety, minimise disorder and provide public reassurance to ensure everyone can enjoy Ayrshire's safer shores over the holidays. 

This includes alcohol bans on trains running to and from the Ayrshire coast; extra Police Scotland and British Transport Police patrols on trains, in and around train stations, and on the beaches; increased community safety, environmental and Coastguard patrols; and enforcement of the no alcohol by-law in public places - including beaches.

Councillor Martin Dowey, Leader of South Ayrshire Council, said: "Our beaches are fantastic places to spend a sunny summer day and we love nothing more than seeing people out enjoying all that our stunning coastline has to offer. 

With the Queen's Jubilee holiday almost upon us, there are sure to be plenty of people making their way to the Ayrshire coastline. While we know the majority of people just want to enjoy the sunshine and a great day out, our Safer Shores campaign shows that we will not tolerate drinking or antisocial behaviour that has the potential to ruin that fun in the sun for everyone else including children, families, young people, local residents and visitors. 

"With the weather forecast looking promising at the moment, we look forward to working with our partners to ensure everyone can enjoy a happy and fun visit to our safer shores and remember the Jubilee and holiday season for all the right reasons."

Councillor Scott Davidson, Cabinet Member for Place at North Ayrshire Council, said: "We are always delighted to welcome people to the stunning Ayrshire coastline and our beaches.

"With Covid restrictions lifted and a fantastic summer of events ahead of us - including the Queen's Jubilee celebrations and the Making Waves Festival - we expect people to return in greater numbers, so it's important that everyone is able to enjoy their visit without having their day spoiled by a small number of people."

Superintendent Gillian Grant said: "Ayrshire's beaches are popular destinations for tourists and local residents and in the coming months, we expect to see a significant increase in the number of people visiting the area.  Residents and visitors can be assured a comprehensive policing plan is in place to deal with the influx of visitors. 

"The beaches are there for everyone's enjoyment and people should be able to enjoy their day safely. We will have additional officers in place to tackle all forms of antisocial behaviour, in particular, alcohol abuse on the beach and transport networks. 

"As well as enforcement, we are linking in with the licensing trade to ensure that legislation and practice in relation to off-sales is rigorously applied. By working collaboratively with our partners on the Safer Shores initiative, we ensure everyone has a safe, enjoyable and memorable day. Also, it's worth remembering, if the beaches are busy, so too are the roads, so please be patient, use available car parks and always park responsibly." 

You can keep up to date with the Ayrshire Safer Shores campaign by following the hashtag #AyrshireSaferShores on social media.