INVERCLYDE'S MSP has called for change in the hope of improving disability access to Greenock town centre.

Stuart McMillan hosted a round table event at the Beacon Arts Centre earlier this week after a constituent contacted him about the challenges facing wheelchair users in the town.

The meeting saw transport agencies, disability charities, council officials and constituents discuss how inaccessible some parts of the area have become.

Representatives from McGill's, ScotRail, Network Rail, Inverclyde Council officers and local charities were present.

And Mr McMillan says that he'll continue to do his bit to ensure that action is taken and that improvements are made for a more equally accessible town centre.

He said: "After going for a walk around Greenock town centre with a constituent who relies upon a mobility scooter to get around I was immediately struck by how poor pavement surfaces are in many parts of the town.

“There are also missing dropped kerbs, or cars obstructing dropped kerbs, and many shop doors and aisles are too narrow for wheelchair users.

“Before you even get to the town centre though, it can be difficult to access transport – there are not enough wheelchair-friendly taxis, and buses don’t allow some mobility scooters to board.

“Getting the train can also be a challenge because not all local stations have step-free access. Even Greenock Central, which purports to be wheelchair friendly, is not suitable for everyone as the turning points on the ramp are too narrow for some scooters.

“I was therefore pleased that the agencies in attendance came with an open mind and genuinely listened to people’s concerns. Some have even arranged to go on their own walkaround with wheelchair users to see for themselves the barriers they highlighted at the meeting.

“While progress won’t happen overnight, I appreciated how engaged local partners were in the conversation and their commitment to work together to try to remove these barriers as far as possible.

“If disabled people can’t access their local shops, they can’t spend money there.

"It’s that simple – and that’s why improving accessibility is in everyone’s interest."