COUNCIL bosses are pleading with the Scottish Government to invest money into making a killer bypass safe.

A stretch of road on the A737 has seen a number of high-profile accidents, including fatalities, since its construction almost 25 years ago.

The section at Kilbarchan, known locally as Brands Hatch, has been a cause of particular concern.

The road is said to carry up to 25,000 vehicles a day, making it one of the busiest in Scotland and is comparable to with parts of the A9.

Councillors voted to call for improvements including dualling the route between Kilbarchan and Dalry, as well as the creation of an additional slip road lane at the Johnstone exit and a new slip road at the Howwood exit.

The local authority has also urged the government to create of a footbridge and small car parking area at the Roadhead Roundabout in Lochwinnoch.

Community councils and other local groups from Johnstone, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch also recently aired their concerns to Transport Scotland, which is responsible for the upkeep and improvements to the road.

Chairman of Kilbarchan’s community council Bill David said: “The meeting regarding the A737, chaired by councillor Christopher Gilmour, was a positive meeting, highlighting very clearly that the A737 is not effectively serving the needs of Howwood, Kilbarchan or Lochwinnoch.

“The road is now carrying more than 23,000 vehicles per day and this is a higher volume of traffic than uses the A9, which has had millions of pounds spent on it in upgrading it.

“The A737 has had nothing spent on it and is desperately in need of improvement.”

Marjory Love, chairwoman of Brookfield Community Council added: “Plans for developments would certainly be more beneficial in the sense that there will likely be less accidents.

“However, saying that, I’m not sure that the village is really able to take the extra amount of traffic that the upgraded A737 would bring.”

“Local roads are not suited to the additional cars passing through and I’m not sure upgrading the A737 will help here, or areas like Johnstone where traffic is already an issue in the High Street.”

The motion calling for improvements to the A737 was passed by councillors from across Renfrewshire at a full meeting of the authority in Paisley last Thursday, December 15.

People using the road face heavy congestion, so extending the stretch of dual carriageway would make a difference by reducing journey times.

This and the other upgrades the council have called for would also strengthen links between communities in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire, making travelling much easier for residents.

Renfrewshire Council leader Mark Macmillan said: “The A737 is a key route for west Renfrewshire and it is time the Scottish Government finally stepped-up to deliver these much-needed improvements.

He added: “Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to delivering major infrastructure projects is clear, but we need the Scottish Government to play its part.

“Under the City Deal we have taken forward infrastructure projects that better connect Renfrewshire with the rest of the Glasgow City Region, but as the A737 primarily links to Ayrshire it falls to the Scottish Government to deliver theses upgrades.

“It is high time they followed our lead and delivered the transport improvements the people of Renfrewshire deserve.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “It is for relevant local authorities to propose projects to be included their City Deals, however, we are working hard to improve the trunk road network, including the A737.

“The recent publication of draft orders for the road improvement scheme at Beith underlines our commitment to communities in North Ayrshire and the surrounding areas.

“At the same time, we are currently progressing the nearby Dalry Bypass scheme with works expected to begin by the end of March 2017.

“When completed, the A737 Improvements at Beith scheme will provide new junctions at Beith to help improve the road system around the town, [and] will also improve traffic flow and bring additional road safety benefits.

“There has been an investment of around £15 million in the maintenance of the of the A737 since 2007, and Transport Scotland had a recent meeting with community groups regarding Howwood and wider improvements.

“Further consideration is now being given to these concerns to establish the best way forward.

“The Glasgow City Region Cabinet is already scheduled to meet next week and we look forward to continuing its work to create jobs, boost the economy and deliver better access to public services for people in all our communities.

“The A737 is an important road in our transport network and we will continue to look at opportunities to secure additional investment.”