Petition launched over disruption in West Blackhall Street

Traders - who have launched a petition - are demanding their business rates be waived by Inverclyde Council, with the bosses of one prominent shop warning that they could be forced to quit Greenock altogether.

Further concern has been raised about parking spaces vanishing and being replaced by a cycle lane under the project which is largely funded by active travel organisation Sustrans Scotland through their Places for Everyone scheme.

The project is being funded by Inverclyde Council and active travel organisation Sustrans Scotland through their Places for Everyone scheme, with a contribution from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).

With tensions running high, Edwina Gillies' dress hire shop Kilted Kin has launched a petition to waive rates from the council in protest.

Ms Gillies, who has owned the business for eight years with her brother Sammy Valerio, said: "It's affected sales drastically. I have set up a petition to ask the council to waive rates until the work is done.

"We're a hire company so people are still hiring outfits but we've lost 70 per cent of our business and that is before the work has started at this end of the street."

"Quite a lot of customers are elderly and cannot get parked. Once people start going elsewhere, they don't come back.

"It's getting beyond a joke. We asked the council for help but we were told we weren't getting compensation because the shops in Gourock didn't get it when they were re-routing the road in Kempock Street, but they had parking at the back.

"It's dreadful, rates are going up and there is a reduction in footfall."

Ms Gillies told the Telegraph: "This shop is 80 years old in February and unless something is done, I am contemplating moving to another town.

"People who are coming off the cruise ships now are going straight to the train station. How do they expect businesses to survive?"

Part of the project will see the street opened up with existing roads layouts replaced with a single one-way system straight through from Westburn Street to Grey Place to simplify access for cars and parking down one side of the street only.

Ms Gillies said: "It's a disgrace, the work will do away with 22 parking spaces and one side will be a cycle lane.

"People still have money to spend but they're not going to risk getting a parking ticket. Once you lose your customers, you never get them back. They will go elsewhere where they can park for free.

"Greenock is the only place with disc zones - Kilmacolm and Port Glasgow don't have disc zones

The project is being funded by Inverclyde Council and active travel organisation Sustrans Scotland through their Places for Everyone scheme, with a contribution from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).

Work is expected to continue into the autumn.

Another shop is also feeling the strain and has lost a considerable amount of business.

Kathleen McKinnon, manager of Farmfoods, said: "We're not as busy as we were, we're not getting the same passing trade. We've lost a lot of customers because half of West Blackhall is closed and Laird Street is closed.

"Customers have been complaining about the parking and then when the cycle lane is up, there will be even less parking spaces.

"It's not just this shop, every single business will be affected. Everyone is worried about the future, if customers find somewhere else to shop they won't come back."

An Inverclyde Council spokesperson said: “We appreciate the West Blackhall Street project will cause some disruption however we are making a £3.2million investment in what is Greenock’s traditional high street to encourage more people to visit this area and improve it for everyone, including traders.

“This redevelopment will create a vibrant area which is accessible for all with additional space for pedestrians and cyclists and new public realm areas with extra seating, lighting and decorative planters which will contain trees and shrubs to enhance the environment, whilst maintaining vehicle access.

“The plans were developed following several consultations with the public, residents, traders and partners including letters delivered to residents and businesses as well as two drop-in sessions for people to attend and discuss the project.

“The West Blackhall Street Project is one of a number of exciting projects taking place to regenerate Greenock town centre including the £20m Levelling Up Fund and the £20m Long Term Plan for Towns Fund. These come on the back of the completion of the £19.2m Greenock Ocean Terminal Visitor Centre, funded by the Glasgow City Region, which successfully opened last year.

“We hope everyone will share in our positive vision and get behind Greenock.”