Concerns over 'dangerous' Bishopton road as calls made for pedestrian path

Serious concerns have been raised over a “dangerous” road in Bishopton as calls are made for a path to boost pedestrian safety on the narrow stretch.

Shirley Arrol has submitted a petition to Renfrewshire Council asking for a walkway in Drumcross Road due to the speed and volume of traffic.

The resident walks the route every week to Bishopton Parish Church in the adjoining Ferry Road and is starting to feel increasingly “unsafe” in doing so.

However, the local authority has conducted its own surveys and said vehicle speeds averaged at 35mph in both directions, with the greater majority of drivers not exceeding 41mph.

It monitored pedestrian usage over the space of a week and said in general fewer than 15 used the road in each direction in any 24-hour period.

There have also been no recorded injury accidents in the 24 years for which the council holds records.

John Wallace, senior manager for infrastructure and transportation, told the petitions board on Monday: “On the whole, we considered that the surveyed usage and the lack of accidents are too small to justify the progression of this footway.”

But Ms Arrol warned: “You said only 15 people a day average walk it – that’s because they’re scared for their life.

“A lot of people now say, ‘don’t walk that, it’s too dangerous’ … I know there’s been no fatalities but I don’t want it to be mine that changes the path on Drumcross Road.”

While council officers already have plans to slash the speed limit on the road from 60mph to 40mph, they do not feel the data justifies the construction of a footway which, they claimed in a report, could cost in the region of £200,000.

The local authority would also have to acquire land currently in private ownership.

Despite this, Councillor James MacLaren, a Conservative representative for the village, has urged it to reconsider its stance – suggesting a woodland path as an option.

He said: “Having a footpath along the road would be a big asset to the village and make the road a whole lot safer.

“The road is used a lot in the early morning by employees walking from Bishopton up to work at the HP factory.

“During the day it is used by mothers walking out that way with prams.

“In creating a pathway, you would create a safer circuit for walkers to come back on once they have headed out along Ferry Road.

“It would be good for the health of villagers in that it would encourage them to walk more and, as Shirley has said, you don’t want to walk that road at the moment.

“That’s probably why the number of pedestrians is low … The woodland on the west side of the road could be used as a sort of ‘John Muir’ type path that could weave its way through the woodland and could be made of ‘woodchip’ or ‘type one’ construction, rather than being a proper pavement at the side of the road.

“That could work as far as Old Greenock Road up to the top of the hill going north, thereafter it could lead through the field or be a formal pavement.”

The board agreed to refer the matter to the relevant director and policy board for further investigation.