A councillor has issued a call to get a town “moving again” as he hit out at the “endless roadworks” which have brought it to a “virtual standstill”.
Cllr John Gray said works at Inchinnan Road, Paisley Road and the cross at Ferry Road have caused traffic chaos which has “long since passed the level of the ludicrous”.
According to the local politician, his constituents have endured this disruption for “far too long” and their tolerance has now “quite rightly worn very thin indeed”.
It is understood that current works and road closures in Renfrew, including upcoming works on Rowan Avenue, are not being carried out by Renfrewshire Council, but by other organisations carrying out utility works.
The Cllr for Renfrew North and Braehead said: “Bus routes have been disrupted, drivers are struggling even more to earn their crust, and everyday motorists are finding common activities like getting to work are now an ordeal.
“Enough is enough. Let's get the roads fixed, cleared, and let's get Renfrew moving again.”
The councillor issued the call as Lindsay McKillop, the chair of Renfrew Community Council, shared her first-hand experience of the issue as a “long suffering” resident of Kirklandneuk.
Her husband, a stroke survivor, has struggled to get a taxi home as roadworks have made the area a no-go area for companies not wishing to spend “an hour sitting in traffic”.
It has even impacted residents’ ability to get companies to deliver food, as well as making bus timetables “hit and miss”.
“People where possible are working from home and others are fifty to an hour and twenty minutes late,” she added.
“Carers coming into clients are caught in the middle of this shambles.
“This is grossly unfair on the forgotten community.
"The lack of communication is just massive.
“People are very rightfully sick of it.
"We get the brunt of it and now it’s time for it to stop.”
Lindsay commented as residents braced themselves for further disruption due to gas distribution company SGN carrying out upgrades to the gas network in the Argyll Avenue and Inchinnan Road area.
The works, which involve diverting a gas main and are part of the project to regenerate the Clyde waterfront, have now started, getting underway on July 7 and will be ongoing until August 8.
There are currently four-way traffic lights in place near the Inchinnan Road roundabout “due to the location of the gas pipes in the roads, and for everyone’s safety”.
A lane redirection has also been put in on Inchinnan Road to manage traffic flow.
On day ten of the latest works, Lindsay said: “The road at the exit from Argyll Avenue is utterly manic. Sat in traffic for 20 minutes and that was with manually controlled lights.
“The traffic on Argyll Avenue seems to be coming from the bridge and Meadowside Street.
“I can see why people are complaining but the lights are in sync, (it’s) just the sheer traffic volume.”
One resident also voiced their discontent on social media and said between Inchinnan Road and an unrelated future closure on their street, the situation in the town has left them “feeling like a prisoner” in their own home.
SGN said it understands the concerns raised by residents and wants to reassure the Renfrew community that the work is "essential for maintaining the safety and reliability of the local gas supply".
"We’ve been specifically requested to reposition our gas main at the Inchinnan Road roundabout following road reconstruction works in the area," said a company spokesperson.
"These changes mean the existing location is no longer suitable, and the upgrade is required to ensure the long-term safety of both the gas infrastructure and the public.
"To minimise disruption, we’ve timed these works to coincide with the school summer holidays when traffic is typically lighter.
"We’re also manually controlling the temporary four-way traffic lights, from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday, to respond to real-time traffic conditions and reduce inconvenience where possible.
"We appreciate this has been frustrating and thank the community for their patience.
"Our teams are working hard and remain on track to finish within the scheduled timeframe of August 8."
It is understood further road closures are also planned in Renfrew for the coming weeks, including on Fingal Road and Mulberry Road on July 24 for Scottish Water ironwork repairs.
A road closure will also be in place on Rowan Avenue between August 4 and August 8 for Scottish Power connection works.
“What is required is a coordinator of all road works in Renfrewshire who can and should communicate with the community affected by the said works,” added Lindsay.
“Yes, communicate with councillors by all means but more importantly come into the community and talk with residents.”
A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson added: “The current roadworks on Inchinnan Road, Renfrew, are being carried out by SGN.
“These works were communicated to the council in line with statutory requirements and listed on the Scottish Road Works Register and public notice site TellMeScotland.
"Originally scheduled for earlier this year, we have worked with SGN to have this essential maintenance carried out during the school holiday period to minimise disruption to the local community.”
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