CALLS are being made for a popular Port Glasgow slipway to be improved and made more safe.

Members of Newark Boat Club in the Port are asking the council to repair their slipway, where a large hole can be seen at low tide and there is a lot of seaweed and algae.

Two boats have slipped off it and been damaged, but fortunately no-one was hurt.

Inverclyde Council have completely renewed the Coronation Park slipway, which was falling apart and will re-open soon, and boat club members would like to see a similar upgrade there.

It cost about £200,000 for the Coronation Park work, but Newark say their slipway would not be as expensive to fix.

Both slipways are open to the public, but the 30 Newark members say their facility is more popular, and point out that it is also used by the police and fire brigade.

Newark treasurer Alan Rush said: “The Coronation Park slipway is used mainly by people from out of town who don’t know about our club.

“But we get a lot more demand because boat owners know there is usually someone here at the club who can help them get their boat in or out of the water.

“We also get many people who use the James Watt Dock marina, where there is no slipway, and come to us to get their boats out of the water.

“Some of them also tie up at our pier, which we would also like to see repaired so that it could be used by more boat owners.”

Mr Rush added: “We’ve done our best to maintain the slipway, but it really needs repair and maintenance using better equipment available to the council.”

Port councillor David Wilson campaigned for the Coronation Park project and is also supporting the boat club.

He said: “The Coronation Park slipway encourages many boat owners from as far away as Glasgow to visit the town and spend their money here. Usage had dropped because it was in such poor condition, so I commend the council for investing in a new one.

“I think it would also be a sound investment for the council to repair and maintain the boat club’s slipway. 

“The basic structure is in better condition than Coronation Park’s was, so it should not cost as much.”