THE potential for 'conflicting' roadworks on the A8 appears to be causing the delay in the opening of the new Starbucks drive-through coffee shop in Greenock, the Tele can reveal.

Work on connecting the water supply to the premises - which had been scheduled to open last November - would create additional impact on traffic flow which is already being affected by the existing flood alleviation roadworks.

The building has now been lying empty for more than three months.

The Telegraph understands that issues have arisen in resolving the problem as a section of the A8 carriageway would be affected by roadworks in order to connect the supply.

READ MORE: Starbucks bosses cannot say when Greenock store will open

This would see further disruption to drivers who have been faced with delays on East Hamilton Street since June last year due to Scottish Water’s £2.5million project.

Amey – which oversees Scotland’s trunk road network – was asked by the Telegraph whether it had denied permission for the work necessary to connect Starbucks’ water supply.

A spokesperson said: "Trunk road access for utility companies is managed by our journey time reliability team who coordinate roadworks to reduce the event of conflicting traffic management on our routes.

“Traffic management proposed within close proximity to existing roadworks will not be able to proceed until those roadworks are completed.

Greenock Telegraph:

“These are assessed on a case by case basis and decisions are made with the view to prevent further disruption and inconvenience to the travelling public.

“Ongoing Scottish Water works on the A8 at East Hamilton Street are impacting the delivery of other maintenance in this area."

Earlier this week, Starbucks bosses said they had no update as to when the store would welcome its first customers.

It is anticipated that the new site – the chain’s first in Inverclyde – will create between 20 and 30 jobs.