COUNCIL bosses want to spend £240,000 carrying out upgrades on Inverclyde roads — to prevent damage and expensive repairs in the future. 

They have drawn up a list of 19 streets to be treated with protective microasphalt in the next year.

The work is to be carried out as part of a £5.5m maintenance programme.

A report from council officers said: “This preventative treatment offers longer life expectancy of existing carriageways, high resistance to rutting, reduced traffic noise and is able to withstand heavy trafficking. 

“This type of treatment has been around for many years and has been used successfully within Inverclyde for a number of years, and is widely used by many other councils.”

Maintenance crews will spread microasphalt spread over the top of the existing road surface to act as a protective layer in an effort to stop water damage and prevent the need for major resurfacing.

But it cannot be used on roads where there is significant deterioration.

The roads earmarked for treatment in Greenock are Ayr Terrace, Brisbane Street, Carrick Terrace, Essex Road, Grant Street, Jean Armour Terrace, Juno Terrace/Jupiter Terrace, Kintyre Terrace/Kinloch Terrace, Suffolk Road, Warwick Road and Glencairn Road.

In Port Glasgow, Dykeneuk Road, Glenbrae Road, Skye Road, West Barmoss Avenue and West Woodside Road will all be coated.

The council says the list has been drawn up based on the results of a survey and concerns reported by members of the public.

A total of £30,00 will be spent on preparatory work carried out by the roads department, with the remaining £210,000 going on bringing in an external contractor to do the job.