CONCERNS have been raised over road safety at the entrance to Hermitage Park ahead of the multi-million-pound redevelopment plan for the park.

Over £3 million has been invested in the project to redevelop the area’s only urban park. In August the Advertiser reported that the final £300,000 was secured, after a boost from Sustrans, for the new path infrastructure which meant that all the funding was in place.

As reported in the Advertiser in February the plans for the park include "upgrading" of the existing park, rebuilding the pavilion, cleaning and repair of historic features including the walled garden, and lighting of main routes through the park.

A new cafe will also be built in Hermitage Park, as well as toilets. The existing play park will be upgraded as part of the redevelopment.

However, ahead of the works concerns have been raised over a lack of safe access to the park on the A818, North Sinclair Street.

Councillors are in agreement with a local resident who expressed concerns that the busy road may deter people from visiting the park due to a lack of safe places to cross.

The resident wrote to councillors asking them to consider placing traffic lights or some form of traffic management system at the entrance to the park.

In her letter she said: “It is quite frankly easier for me to take my 4-year-old son to Kidston Park in the car than it is to try and cross this road despite the provision of an ‘island’ in the middle.

“In May, I left the park around 3.30pm. Due to the volume and speed of traffic coming from all directions the only way me and my son could cross the road safely was to walk into town as far as West Argyll Street and ask the school crossing attendant if she could assist.”

Councillors have agreed and MSP Jackie Baillie believes that forward thinking is needed about how to manage the increase in traffic once the park is complete.

She said: “The ambitious plans to redevelop the Park with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund will hopefully encourage even more young families and older people to visit the area.

“I have written to Argyll and Bute Council to raise the issue and I hope they will consider what steps can be taken to ensure the safety of all road users, including Ms McIntosh’s suggestion of a crossing outside the park.”

In response to the letter Councillor Aileen Morton said that the issue was being looked at by roads officers, she did not know what action would be taken but said that she was supportive of traffic lights or a pedestrian crossing being installed.

The resident added: "I can think of nothing nicer than being able to take my son to the park after school but not if we cannot cross a road safely.”

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute council, said: “We make every effort to ensure that our road network has safe crossing points for pedestrians. The type of crossing provision depends on regular assessment of traffic flows and pedestrian usage. There are currently three traffic islands located on Sinclair Street which allow pedestrians to cross the road safely, in two halves.

“As we continue our project to redevelop Hermitage Park we will be carrying out a further assessment on crossing provision on the basis that there could be an increase in traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, to the park.”