Roads Reopen as Key Project Nears Completion
The new spur road into Port Glasgow town centre has reopened after contractors completed surfacing works delayed by the discovery of shallow power cables.
A short stretch of Shore Street remained closed while engineers worked on a solution to the cable problem.
Contractors have now completed the work five days early allowing motorists free access to the town centre.
Environment & Regeneration Convener Councillor Michael McCormick said: “It is great news and I would like to thank everyone involved for working so hard to allow the roads to reopen earlier than expected.
“This was a delay we had not anticipated and of course it was frustrating for local people and businesses. I am sure now the road closures have been lifted we will soon start to see the benefits of improved connections into the town centre.
“We are confident the project will significantly boost existing business and attract fresh investment into the area.”
The new spur road is part of a £1.96million regeneration project for Port Glasgow town centre
The Port Glasgow Lower Town Quarter project received a Regeneration Capital Grant award from the Scottish Government and COSLA in 2016.
Work is to begin on a new hard-landscaped civic space will extend over Shore Street from the front of the Town Hall towards the grass lawn on the site of the former car park.
A second phase of the works will also include the demolition of redundant buildings at the rear of the Town Hall to create a new civic square.
The project is being delivered on behalf of the Council by the urban regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde.
A Port Glasgow Town Centre Master Plan was developed in 2014 after extensive consultation with local residents and businesses identified the development of a new gateway into the town centre as a priority for investment.
In addition to the new access road from the A8 the Port Glasgow Regeneration Strategy and Master Plan recommends environmental improvements to the town centre; removal of redundant buildings; the restoration of empty shop units to provide ‘fit for purpose’ retail space and new office and commercial accommodation.