A PLAN to build a new stretch of road on a vital countryside route that’s been closed for more than three years has been scrapped, with Inverclyde Council now looking to see if the existing carriageway can be repaired instead.
Dunrod Road, which leads to Loch Thom, has been shut since the end of July of 2022 because it was considered to be in danger of collapse.
The only vehicle access to Greenock Cut visitor centre at Cornalees has been via Old Largs Road since then.
Councillors agreed in September 2023 that a new stretch of road should be built, at an estimated cost of £2million but investigation works have shown that the ground conditions are highly variable which would add £2.5million to the project because of the amount of slope stabilisation and drainage required.
The council’s environment and regeneration committee heard today that route realignment is no longer a viable option. The committee agreed to revisit the possibility of repairing the road, at an estimated cost of £1.65million to £2million.
A study in 2023 found that 160 metres of the road was at high risk of slippage and another 300 metres was at medium risk and that significant mitigation measures would be required.
