A GROWING army of fuming motorists are taking aim at council chiefs over the state of Renfrewshire’s roads.

Today, a special investigation by The Gazette lifts the lid on the plague of potholes that is making life a misery for drivers.

We hit the streets of Johnstone and surrounding towns and villages to check out reports of troublesome craters that have been causing damage to vehicles and leaving motorists with hefty repair bills.

And it didn’t take long before we stumbled across some of the worst examples.

In some cases, the potholes are so deep that electricals can be seen peeking out from far underground.

And it seems that no town or village has escaped, with reports of gaping holes in the ground reported in the likes of Johnstone, Linwood, Brookfield and Bridge of Weir.

Among the pothole hotspots is the B789, near the Morrisons supermarket in Johnstone.

A number of drivers heading between Johnstone and Brookfield have also complained about suffering burst tyres as they try to negotiate various craters.

Graham Street and High Street, both in Johnstone town centre, are other thoroughfares highlighted by fed-up motorists, along with Barrochan Road and the A761 to Bridge of Weir.

Ruth Keir, 36, told The Gazette she was forced to have her tyres repaired twice within a couple of days as a result of potholes.

“The roads are in a very dangerous state,” said Ruth, who lives in Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir. “I’ve complained to the council and reported problems numerous times.

“Some of these holes are on main roads, in hazardous places, and they have been there for weeks without any repairs being done.

“My commute is from Quarriers to Johnstone and it has turned into a pothole slalom.

“I’ve had two flats due to potholes and am out of pocket.”

Councillor Alison Dowling, who represents Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, said she has been swamped with complaints about potholes.

In Houston, problem areas include North Street, the roundabout near St Fillan’s Primary and Kilmacolm Road.

Cllr Dowling said: “There has been a high number of complaints in the wards I cover, in particular the more rural areas.

“I understand there are weather issues but, if you look across Renfrewshire in its entirety, the number of potholes is at an unacceptably high level.

“The roads are in a worse state than ever and I want to see an appropriate level of action taken.”