GOUROCK residents are being asked for their views on two proposals to expand bus services in the town.
Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan and Gourock councillor Sandra Reynolds have been in dialogue with bus firm McGill’s and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) since the local opeator's 540 bus service was axed last year.
The route ran from Clynder Road in Greenock's east end down to Gourock railway station, and connected the upper part of Gourock to its town centre.
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The pair of SNP politicians say that McGill’s have agreed to look at two options for expanding their services to help those affected by the 540’s withdrawal.
The first option would see a loop added into the existing 507 Greenock-Midton service to take in Gourock town centre from the bottom of George Road and back.
The second option would involve the 545, which currently runs from Port Glasgow to Inverclyde Royal Hospital and extends its route to take in McInroy’s Point for three runs during the evening.
It has been suggested that part of the extended evening route could be added on to the service during the day.
Councillor Reynolds and Mr McMillan are surveying residents in upper Gourock to find out their preferred option.
Councillor Sandra Reynolds said: “People in upper Gourock can’t access their town centre, which is ridiculous.
“I thought it wasn’t just about the 540 and the IRH, it’s about not having that access and not being able to shop local.
“We need as many people as possible to respond so we can have an informed discussion with McGill’s and show them the interest is there.”
Mr McMillan added: “The two options do not deliver a like-for-like service, but they would be an improvement.
"Cllr Reynolds and I thought it best to put these options to residents in the Midton area to determine what they felt was the most attractive option.
“The results of this survey will inform our discussions with McGill’s and enable them to make a decision which hopefully suits the majority.
“I would encourage everyone who has received a survey letter to respond as soon as possible so we can capture their opinion.”
A spokesperson for McGill's said they would now work to improve bus services in upper Gourock but claimed there was an unaddressed parking issue in the area which was causing problems for buses.
They said: “McGill’s are no different to Scottish Government or Inverclyde Council and have challenging budgets to meet.
"Since the conclusion of the 540 service, we have searched for ways to improve the bus service for Gourockians.
“We are exceptionally grateful to the local MSP and Councillor Reynolds for the work they have done in seeking views from the community.
“We will now work through the responses to try and find a way to improve the connectivity in upper Gourock.
“All upper Gourock residents are acutely aware that there is a car parking problem that Inverclyde Council are failing to address.
“For bus services to be successful, it takes more than a bus and a driver. The roads need to be clear of obstructions and buses must be able to navigate the streets.”
In response to McGill's claim on parking issues, a council spokesperson said: “Many of our residential areas were built before the rise in the number – and size – of private cars and were not designed for the volume of cars and vehicles in general that we see on our roads today.
“We’ve been supportive of campaigns to encourage people to ditch the car and use perhaps cheaper and certainly more environmentally-friendly alternative modes of transport.
“We teamed up with McGill’s for World Car Free Day last year and provided funding towards free bus travel throughout Inverclyde.
“While we completely understand the frustrations associated with congestion, unfortunately we cannot magic away hundreds of cars from the roads.
“It is regrettable when McGill’s take a commercial decision to reduce or cut a local service but we respect that these are business decisions for the company.
“Officers met with McGill’s earlier this year to discuss the issue of congestion.
“We welcome feedback and ideas from all stakeholders as to what improvements could be made.”
Those who wish to make their views known on the two proposals can find a copy of the consultation form at tinyurl.com/gourockbussurvey.
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