DRIVERS in Inverclyde are facing the prospect of a clash of two major roadwork projects.

The Tele reported recently how bridge repair works are set to affect traffic on Gourock's Cardwell Road for 10 weeks, starting on Monday.

Now Scotland Transerv is planning work on the other route leading into Greenock.

Bosses from the trunk road operator plan to replace the pedestrian parapet on the A78 Inverkip Road at Barrs Cottage in Greenock.

They say work to divert utility companies' apparatus will begin 'mid-May', with the parapet works planned to follow on in late August over a six week stretch.

During the bridge works by Inverclyde Council, the carriageway at Cardwell will remain open but with only one lane.

There will be temporary traffic lights in place and many motorists had been planning to use the other way into Greenock to avoid jams.

Now both routes look set to be beset by delays due to the clash.

The council says it cannot move its Cardwell work as it has already been held back - and officials add that they lodged notice of it before Transerv announced their intentions for the A78.

A spokesman for Inverclyde Council said: “The work on the railway bridge at Cardwell Road is essential maintenance.

"If it isn’t done there could be serious problems with the bridge’s structure further down the line.

"It has already been postponed twice.

"We logged this work onto the Scottish Roadworks Register in January.

“We understand that Scottish Power is planning work near Barrs Cottage on the A78.

"The Scottish Power notification was only posted in April and didn’t give the required three months notice.

"Unfortunately, due to the distance between the two sites the Scottish Roadworks Register didn’t flag this up as a potential conflict."

Bosses have urged people to 'leave the car at home as much as possible and use alternative means of transport'.

They are also considering putting in temporary traffic lights on George Road to help deal with traffic bottlenecks there while the work is under way.

The council said: “This is vital work and we would ask drivers to be patient while it is being completed.”

Scotland Transerv told the Tele the Barrs Cottage work is vital as the existing parapet is at the end of its life and must be upgraded for the safety of members of the public using the footpath.

Spokesman Jason Rashed said: “We have been working in consultation with the local authority, emergency services and key stakeholders to schedule these works to reduce the impact on the community, commuters and businesses.

"We have developed a programme alongside utility companies to streamline their elements of the project and ensure the smooth transition between each phase.

“In order to protect the health and safety of workers, pedestrians and the motoring public, it will be necessary to narrow the lanes, and in some phases of the programme to implement single lane closures.

"Where possible, we are all working together to reduce the overall impact of these works through the implementation of this traffic management.”