West Scotland MSP Jamie Greene said the disruption caused by the roadworks on the A78 at Wemyss Bay would be significant, and asked road users to plan ahead to avoid it.

The work will be carried out over a full weekend of closure at Wemyss Bay and two additional overnight closures at Knock Castle with a signed diversion route in operation.

The closure is set to affect the main route between Largs and Inverclyde.

The essential carriageway maintenance takes from Friday, November 24 until Wednesday, November 29 - and includes a full weekend closure.

Mr Greene, pictured, said that the roadworks were part of a wider, much needed package of road repairs for the area.

However, he warned that the decision to close the route for a full weekend could lead to heavy disruption for locals.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

The diversion put in place by Amey, the agency completing the roadworks, is approximately 60km long.

Mr Greene said that the closure, which restricts a large stretch of road to residents only, should be completed as quickly as possible to minimise damage to businesses on the restricted stretch of road.

He said: “The maintenance work being carried out on these roads is necessary, and I am pleased that residents will have access to improved and safer roads.

“I urge Amey to ensure the work is completed within the timeframe they have provided to ensure access to essential services and businesses for residents and visitors are disrupted no further than absolutely necessary.”

The work will be carried out using a full weekend closure at Wemyss Bay followed by two additional overnight closures at Knock Castle with a signed diversion route in operation.

This work forms part of a wider package of improvement works and will benefit around 11,700 vehicles using this route each day.

The full weekend closure will be in effect from 8pm on Friday, November 24 until 6am on Monday, November 27, with works taking place at the Ardgowan Road junction in Wemyss Bay. 

There will be local access only to and from Ardgowan Road. 

The overnight closures will be in place from 8pm on November 27 until 6am on November 28, and from 8pm on November 28, until 6am on November 29, with works taking place at Knock Castle between Largs and Skelmorlie. 

The signed diversion for trunk road traffic will operate as follows: 

Southbound traffic will follow the northbound A78 to Greenock and join the A8 at the Bullring Roundabout, where it will continue to Newark Roundabout and take the third exit onto the A761 through Kilmacolm.

From here, traffic will turn left onto the B790 Houston Road and follow Bridge of Weir Road and the B789 Barrochan Road to Deafhillock Roundabout, taking the second exit to join the southbound A737.

Vehicles will then continue south to Beith and take the second exit at Manrahead Roundabout onto the B777, travel on to Kilbirnie and then take the A760 at Bridge Street towards Largs, to re-join the A78.  Northbound traffic will follow the same route in the opposite direction.