Tunnels vision thanks to £30k makeover

THREE busy walkways in Greenock Town Centre have been given a facelift to make them more welcoming for residents and visitors.

Inverclyde Council has completed work on the two Bullring Roundabout underpasses and the pedestrian tunnel at Regent Street as part of a £31,000 project funded by Riverside Inverclyde (RI).

Contractors installed new, more durable, decorative panels last week on behalf of the local authority to improve the look of the walkways, which had been affected by vandalism.

Included in the project is the Bullring South underpass, which features famous tile murals of Clyde-built paddle steamers.

The tiles were recently cleaned by hand as part of the preservation of the artwork and will now be covered with more durable panels featuring images of the same vessels on top of a fresh, new background.

Greenock underpasses work complete. From left, Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s convener of environment and regeneration, Councillor Francesca Brennan, and Gavin McDonagh, chair of Riverside Inverclyde, at the Bullring Roundabout south underpass featuring the famous Clyde-built paddle steamers mural.

The other Bullring underpass and the one at Regent Street will also be given some TLC with the addition of eye-catching comic strip panels depicting famous Inverclyde characters and stories in collaboration with local company Magic Torch Comics.

Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s convener of environment and regeneration, said: “It’s a real shame that the underpasses were so badly vandalised in the first place but the council, in partnership with RI, has stepped up to the mark and delivered an amazing transformation.

“We want to encourage visitors, as well as local people, to discover Inverclyde and what we have to offer and we all know that first impressions count so it’s important that these well-used and prominent walkways connecting Greenock Town Centre are looking their best.”

Work on these three underpasses follows the completion of improvements to the West Stewart Street pedestrian walkway last year, also as part of the project.

Gavin McDonagh, chairman of Riverside Inverclyde, said: “RI continue to support Inverclyde Council in their endeavours to improve the area and we are delighted to see the results achieved with the town’s underpasses.”

The work is part of the council’s ongoing regeneration of Greenock Town Centre, which also includes the new cruise ship visitor centre which is nearing completion, and the Levelling Up and West Blackhall Street projects that are in the pipeline.

The £22 million Levelling Up project includes plans to demolish the Bullring Roundabout but the new panels have been designed so that they can be removed and relocated elsewhere upon completion of the work.

In the meantime, they help create a more welcoming environment for locals and visitors, including record numbers of cruise ship passengers and crew expected during the 2023 cruise call season.