The next phase of the ambitious regeneration of Greenock’s traditional high street has taken another major step forward with views being sought on changes to the road layout.

Inverclyde Council, in partnership with active travel organisation Sustrans Scotland, is pressing ahead with the redevelopment of West Blackhall Street to make it more attractive and accessible for shoppers and visitors.

A key feature of the project is a new one-way system from Westburn Street down to Grey Place with members of the public now being given the chance to have their say on the road proposals as part of the formal consultation process.

There would also be a 20mph speed limit, a new one-way cycle path from Grey Place towards the Oak Mall, removal of parking spaces from one side of West Blackhall Street and retention of the current on-street parking along Dalrymple Street.

The redevelopment of West Blackhall Street is aimed at creating a vibrant area which is accessible for all with additional space for pedestrians and cyclists and new public realm areas with additional seating and trees to enhance the environment, whilst maintaining vehicle access.

The various road proposals are now available to view and people have until Thursday 1 September 2022 to have their say.

Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s convener of environment and regeneration, said: “This is another positive step forward towards the redevelopment of West Blackhall Street to make it more attractive and accessible for everyone.

“There are lots of changes being proposed to change the layout of roads and pavements to allow this crucial regeneration project to move forward so it’s important that people take time to look over these proposals and have their say during this consultation period.

“The aim here is to not only breathe new life into Greenock’s traditional high street but to make it fit for the 21^st Century with more opportunities for active travel, such as walking, cycling and wheeling, and to make it a more desirable area to spend time in whether that is for business or leisure.”

The orders being proposed include:

• Amend the one-way operation of West Blackhall Street so that the road is open over its full length and is one-way from the Oak Mall towards Grey Place. The other one-way roads will remain the same.
• Introduce a one-way cycleway from Grey Place towards the Oak Mall.
• Introduce a 20mph speed limit.
• Introduce a weight limit of 26 tonnes on West Blackhall Street and roads joining it.
• Amendments to the parking restrictions to remove parking from one side of West Blackhall Street and permanently retain the parking on Dalrymple Street that was introduced to support Covid-19 recovery.
• Re-determine various sections of road and footway for another use i.e. road becoming footway, the road becoming cycle path, footway becoming a road.

The West Blackhall Street development is being led and funded by Inverclyde Council and Sustrans Scotland with grants from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Safer Walking Safer Road and Smarter Choices Smarter Places funds, which are both managed by Transport Scotland.

The various road proposals are available in full at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/tro.