Brian Donohoe said the upgrades were long overdue

A second policeman and a woman driver remain seriously injured following the collision near Symington on Friday.

Transport Scotland said a flyover junction was planned for Symington and details would be announced soon.

Ayrshire Central MP Brian Donohoe said the upgrade to the "death trap" road had been delayed by a wildlife survey.

Strathclyde Police said a Mercedes police car and a Mitsubishi Shogun were involved in the collision at 1905 BST on Friday.

It is believed the police car had been heading north on the dual carriageway.

The woman's 4x4 was crossing the northbound carriageway from a side road, with the intention of heading south, when the two vehicles collided.

Brought forward

Mr Donohoe said he had been campaigning to get junctions on the road converted into ones with bridges for safety reasons.

The Labour MP said he was "very angry" the upgrade plans had been "dragging on for more than eight years".

He said: "I believe that this programme, if it were to have been properly articulated, would have been done and dusted and we wouldn't have these fatalities.

"Having written to the minister, I believe that he believes the environmental audit on badgers and bats is more important than human beings.

"I don't accept that and I want to see the programme brought forward that will upgrade this road."

Transport Scotland, the government agency which oversees road and rail improvements, said details of the upgrade would be announced in the next few weeks.

Kevin Lowe was a "hard-working and highly-valued police officer"

The officer who died in the crash was later named by police as 46-year-old Kevin Lowe from Ardrossan.

Constable Lowe joined Strathclyde Police in 1982 and had been a road policing officer since 1992.

Chief Inspector Jim Igoe, head of road policing's west command, said: "Kevin's death comes as a shock to everyone who knew him.

"He was a hard-working and highly-valued police officer who very was popular among his colleagues both on and off duty and he will be sadly missed.

"Our deepest sympathies go to his partner and his family at this sad time."