Renfrewshire Council has announced it is to investment more than £3m in a number of road schemes in the area.

Road engineers have undertaken a detailed survey of roads in towns and villages in the area and prioritised locations where the cash will be spent. For the 2014/15 financial year, some £3.8m has been allocated for road improvements.

Almost half of the money (£1.7m), will be invested on the full resurfacing of roads most in need of repair and which cannot be fixed by more cost-effective means.

The remaining funds will include:

• £500,000 on surface treatments to prolong the life of rural and residential roads

• £600,000 on patching and repair work to fix potholes and weak areas

• £300,000 to repair and resurface footpaths


• £100,000 for drainage improvements.

The full road resurfacing will take place on 41 roads – both residential and main roads – throughout the area, and include sections of the A8 in Bishopton and main A-roads through Erskine and Bridge of Weir. Elsewhere, the footway resurfacing will take place at 27 locations, including Paisley's Hawkhead Road, and parts of Johnstone and Renfrew town centres.

Convener of Renfrewshire Council's Environment Policy Board, Councillor Eddie Devine, said: "The council sees investment in the area's roads as a priority, which is why 2013's budget included an additional £4.3m to be spent over two years.

"Along with all other Scottish Councils, we have had to deal with some severe winters in recent years, which have damaged the road network and left a backlog of repairs.

"With more than 800km of local roads to maintain, we obviously can't be everywhere at once, which is why we have to prioritise areas for investment according to need.

"We do understand that potholes and uneven roads cause frustration for drivers but would assure everybody our extra investment is making a difference."

He continued: "Our Surveys show that we have made significant progress in improving road condition in recent years, and we expect that trend to continue once this year's money is spent.

"Our engineers have worked hard to ensure our resources go on the areas most in need of work and that we target repairs in the most cost-effective way."

(JP/MH)