A CAMPAIGNER fighting to change a gridlocked Gourock road into a one-way street says he has the backing of emergency services.

Bill Oliver, who lives in the town's Kirn Drive, launched a petition in a bid to bring in the traffic management change and he has already gathered 125 signatures.

His petition will go in front of the council's petitions committee next month.

Mr Oliver, 73, says congestion on his street has grown worse due to increase in traffic and new homes and is making the route dangerous.

He said: "I don't want this to go on and on.

"We cannot just wait until somebody is fatally injured before it is decided to do something to make the road safe for people to use.

"Every day there is a Mexican stand-off and no-one is prepared to give way to one another.

"It is difficult for vehicles to pass each other.

"Cars are facing each other and refusing to budge."

Mr Oliver says he has received support from Gourock Community Council but has also had positive feedback from the emergency services.

He said: "I spoke to the emergency services about how they felt about the one way system and they told me they thought it was quite a good idea.

"They said it would give them a faster response time on the south side of Midton and on up to Trumpethill."

Bill says making the street one-way would be less costly than trying to widen the road, which was previously mooted.

Mr Oliver said: "They couldn't widen all of the road anyway, because there are bluebells and bats nesting in the trees which are protected by the 1961 Wildlife and Countryside Act.

"The actual upheaval it would cause would increase the cost."

The petition is due to go in front of the committee on March 19.