ROADS bosses estimate that removing the controversial cycle lane on West Blackhall Street, Greenock and replacing it with parking would cost around £1.6million and take more than a year.
Officials have drawn up a report looking at options to improve parking in the town centre following complaints since West Blackhall Street was revamped.
Campaigners say the cycle lane takes up parking spaces and isn’t well used. Motorists regularly park on it and Inverclyde Council is now proposing to install bollards.
A report prepared for councillors states: “The existing cycle lane is not wide enough to be used for parking and at present cars are either hanging over the edge onto the road or are driving on the pedestrian section and endangering pedestrians.
“To create parking in this area would require the area to be widened into the pedestrian zone. To enable this to happen the sloped area would need to be re-profiled and
upstand kerbs installed.
“This would also involve removing and relocating the street furniture and lifting and re-laying the setts. The disruption involved with this work would be significant and the costs associated considerable.”
They estimate that design work would cost £175,000 and construction a further £1.485million and that the pre-contract and design process would take six to nine months with construction work taking six months.
The West Blackhall Street project received funding from the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust and the council is trying to find out if it would have to give back some money.
The report states: “Officers…have requested confirmation of the position in terms of possible grant clawback given the removal of the cycle lane would
represent a material alteration to the completed project under the conditions of grant. A formal response is awaited.”
Removing the cycle lane is not being recommended for approval although various other measures to increase parking provision are proposed.
