ROADS bosses have revealed that a crater-covered stretch of the A8 main road in Greenock is set for a major upgrade.

Maintenance firm Amey say they plan to carry out resurfacing on the trunk route between Bogston Railway Station and Ratho Street during 2024-25.

This part of the dual carriageway has been in poor condition for some time and has been the subject of ongoing complaints from motorists.

Greenock Telegraph:

It's expected that the work will take place after Scottish Water complete their £2.5m flood alleviation project at Pottery Street, meaning that drivers will face further roadworks disruption on the busy route.

MSP Stuart McMillan has welcomed the announcement of new investment into the local network, after raising the issue in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr McMillan says he's held regular meetings with Amey and that two 'continued topics for discussion' have been the the condition of the road as well as repainting of the lines at several roundabouts.

Amey have now informed him of their intention to carry out works to resolve both issues during this financial year, following his question at Holyrood to the transport minister about future plans for improvements.

Mr McMillan said: “Amey took over the contract to manage the trunk roads in Inverclyde during the pandemic.

"This brought its own challenges of course, but I’m also of the opinion that they inherited a difficult task.

“I believe Amey have tried to get on the front foot and invest in the network at a challenging time and I am grateful for this. However, much more works still needs to be done.

“I have been raising the issue of the worn-out lines around the four roundabouts between McDonald’s in Greenock and Burger King in Port Glasgow for some time.

"I’m therefore pleased this work is finally going to take place as it is a much-needed road safety measure that should make it easier for drivers to remain in the correct lane.

“I am even more pleased to learn about the resurfacing works to take place between Bogston and Ratho Street westbound, as the section of road at the lights outside Bogston station is in dire need of repair.

"However, I have accepted Amey’s hands have been tied for a period as they did not want to have another significant piece of work taking place at the same time as the Scottish Water works on Pottery Street.

“I therefore welcome their commitment to get this work done with subject to the completion of Scottish Water’s scheme."

A start date for the work is expected to be confirmed in the near future.

Greenock Telegraph:

Meanwhile the MSP says that he will continue to press Amey for further improvements across the A8 and A78 'in the coming months and years'.

He has also encouraged any drivers who spot defects on the local road network to report them to the appropriate body.

Mr McMillan said: "Anyone who spots an issue on our roads should either report this to Amey via https://swtrunkroads.scot/report-a-problem/ or to Inverclyde Council if it’s not along the A8 or A78.”