ROADS bosses are to commission a study into a busy Gourock route in a bid to alleviate traffic ‘chaos’.

The announcement comes after the Tele highlighted a campaign by local councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld and residents about problems in Kirn Drive.

They fear someone could be killed as a result of hazardous congestion on the narrow road and have asked for a one-way system to ease congestion.

Mr Ahlfeld has now received confirmation from Inverclyde Council’s roads department that they are to carry out an investigation.

A local authority official told him: “It is my intention to look at the options that may be available in resolving this issue and with that in mind I propose to commission a study of the traffic volumes, routes and congestion issues with a view to providing a range of possible solutions and their associated costs.

“When complete, and when I am satisfied that we have a solution that I can recommend and fund, I will prepare a report for committee’s consideration and, hopefully, approval.

“I plan to commission the study early in the new financial year with a view to collecting traffic data before the school’s summer recess.” Councillor Ahlfeld welcomed the prompt announcement.

He said: “I am very pleased that council officers have undertaken to commission a study on the traffic problems on Kirn Drive in response to both my own and residents’ concerns.

“This study will commence next month and before any decisions are made there will be extensive discussions and consultations with residents and other road users.

“I very much commend the council for agreeing to take this action so quickly.” The one-way plan for Kirn Drive is one solution being mooted, with locals and representatives from Gourock Community Council keen to explore the possibility.

Kirn Drive leads to St Ninian’s and Moorfoot primary schools and is a main bus route but only one lane is passable due to parked cars.

Mr Ahlfeld says the volume of traffic and lack of space regularly leads to ‘Mexican stand-offs’ between motorists on a daily basis.

Residents who have lived in the area for decades say it has got so bad of late that people are almost coming to blows as a result of the bottleneck conditions.

One even claimed that an paramedic was verbally abused because his ambulance was deemed to have blocked the road while answering an emergency call.