DRIVERS will have to put up with potholes on Inverclyde’s main roads for MONTHS to come according to transport chiefs.

The Tele asked trunk road operator Scotland TranServ when crumbling parts of the A8 and A78 will be fixed, after receiving complaints from readers about the state of the surfaces from one end of the district to the other.

But officials will not commit to any dates and say they are fighting to clear a backlog of repairs across the country.

Local motorists are fuming at the poor condition of carriageways on key routes across the district.

One of the stretches highlighted is the approach to the Bullring in Greenock and on the roundabout itself, with East Hamilton Street also highlighted.

Large sections of the A8 at the Cartsdyke Roundabout and next to Coronation Park in Port Glasgow are also in a serious state of disrepair.

The cracks are not confined to the A8 — as the A78 Inverkip Road is badly rutted on High Street, near to the Bow Road junction and underneath the bridge at Branchton Railway Station.

Scotland TranServ officials say they are carrying out resurfacing but admitted it could be months before any work is carried out locally.

A spokesperson for the company said: “A sustained period of wet and freezing conditions has led to unprecedented numbers of carriageway defects on the country’s roads.

“We are currently working around the clock, with all available resources deployed to carry out permanent reinstatements on our trunk road network as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible, while keeping traffic flowing across south west Scotland.

“As part of Transport Scotland’s strategic trunk road management programme, Scotland TranServ will also be carrying out a number of large resurfacing schemes on these roads over the coming months.

“We will continue to keep the community informed as this programme is scheduled.”

Scotland TranServ looks after trunk roads in the south west of the country, including the A8 and A78, on behalf of Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland.

Minor roads and streets are the responsibility of Inverclyde Council, which last month revealed that all urgent pothole repairs are being dealt with inside 24 hours.

Officials say 97 per cent of less urgent category two defects are fixed within a week.

The council is investing £29 million over five years to bring the area’s roads up to scratch.