‘GRAVE’ traffic concerns have been raised over the planned bridge into Clydebank and Yoker from Renfrew.

Joe Henry, a member of Clydebank East Community Council, said there appeared to be no planning for how Dock Street and the intersection with Dumbarton Road could handle the volume of drivers.

Renfrewshire Council, which is leading the project, said Clydebank roads could handle the traffic flow and digital signs would alert drivers to any bridge closures. They said the plans have “overwhelming” public support.

Mr Henry said a presentation from the council to the community council last Monday said 14,000 to 18,000 vehicles a day would be using the bridge.

He said: “There doesn’t seem to be any of the money on this side of the river. We think they should look again at the road layout.

“If there’s a boat coming up river, the bridge could be closed for up to 40 minutes – where is the traffic going to go?

“A lot of people think the bridge is going to be a good idea for quicker access to the hospital. But for everything else, it needs to be looked at again.

“It looks like a foregone conclusion but we have grave concerns.”

Councillor William Hendrie said he had always had concerns about the bridge and also the traffic management generally along Dumbarton Road.

“At the moment I’m not convinced there would not be traffic jams,” he said. “The fact Derek McKay is saying he doesn’t see benefits for Renfrewshire, I don’t see any benefits for Clydebank either. I would need to be more informed.

“There doesn’t seem to be any thought or planning on this side. Where is the traffic going to go? We need more information and better plans.

“There is a possible information flow problem because it’s one council leading this. Renfrewshire will be pushing this to get done but I don’t know what imput our officers have. There’s nothing about what the traffic situation would be like.

“Is there any benefit for people in Clydebank? It it going to affect the shopping centre? They have more work to do to convince us.

“We want easy crossing of the Clyde but not if it’s going to create gridlock.”

West Dunbartonshire Council told the Post they are providing input on the studies needed to assess the impact on business, roads and traffic management.

A spokesman for Renfrewshire Council said: “Comprehensive traffic modelling work has shown that the River Clyde bridge - which will accommodate vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists - together with new roads and cycle routes proposed through the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project, will better link communities and businesses on both sides of the river.

“The proposals have received overwhelming public support during extensive engagement throughout 2016 and 2017.

“This has included presentations to community councils, where the detailed traffic modelling study showed that while traffic flows local to the bridge increased in volume, traffic would be distributed through the local roads effectively.

“The bridge proposals also include digital signage at key locations to provide road users with advance notice of operational times, giving traffic sufficient time to make route choices.”

He added that regular meetings between Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow councils take place, including with traffic projections.

Further exhibitions to the public will take place in May before planning applications are submitted in June 2017 to all three council planning committees.