PLANS to make some of Helensburgh’s busiest streets go temporarily one-way must be thought through carefully – especially with building work on the town’s waterfront due to start in the next few weeks.

That’s the view of the convener of Helensburgh Community Council (HCC), Norman Muir, after Argyll and Bute officials launched a survey on proposals to make social distancing easier and help the town recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Work on the town’s £22 million waterfront project is due to start next month and that construction traffic will have to use Clyde Street, and possibly also Sinclair Street, to travel to and from the site.

Mr Muir said: “Whatever is decided requires careful thought.

READ MORE: Helensburgh's MP and MSP back council's one-way proposal for town centre streets

“It comes at a time when no one can predict the timescale of the easing of the lockdown and therefore a ‘temporary’ arrangement may have a much more extended lifespan.

“Furthermore, the road proposal is coincidental with the start of the major project on the pier.

“There will be an increased volume of heavy goods traffic through the town for an indeterminate period, and the prospect of traffic congestion and disruption is a significant danger."

The council's proposals would see part of the roadway in the affected streets given over to pedestrians to enable the two-metre social distancing rule to be observed safely.

READ MORE: One-way plan unveiled for streets in Helensburgh town centre to aid social distancing

“The most important factor of all is to maintain the economic structure of the town and ensure that the commercial life of the town does not suffer through lack of footfall of shoppers.

“It is imperative that any solution is flexible to adjustment at very short notice, to take account of any part of the solution which does not measure up to expectation.”

Argyll and Bute Council has received £315,000 from the Spaces for People programme to deliver temporary infrastructure to make it safer for people using the area’s town centres for essential trips and exercise during the recovery from lockdown.

Similar traffic proposals have been drawn up for Oban, Dunoon, Rothesay, Lochgilphead, Tobermory and Campbeltown.

A survey on the proposals closes this Sunday, July 26 – click here to take part.

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