Greenock's historic high street has now officially reopened after a £6m revamp which leaders hope will turbo charge change in the town centre.

After months of construction work the new look West Blackhall Street is now open for all pedestrians, motorists and cyclists to use.

Greenock Town Centre Regeneration Forum chair Councillor Jim Clocherty cut the ribbon on the major modernisation programme, which has seen the street's layout change significantly.

He told the Tele he believes the West Blackhall Street will now be a more attractive place for residents, shoppers, visitors, and new and existing businesses.

Councillor Jim Clocherty said: “If you think back to the way West Blackhall Street was prior to the redevelopment and how it looks now that the work is complete, the transformation is night and day.

“Much has been said about the project but the key aim was to make it a more vibrant and accessible place for all and that’s exactly what has been delivered.

“It was widely acknowledged that West Blackhall Street had seen better days and the council, thanks to support from Sustrans and SPT [Strathclyde Partnership for Transport], stepped up to try and breathe new life into Greenock’s traditional high street.

“I’d like to thank residents, businesses, and shoppers of West Blackhall Street and surrounding areas for their patience and understanding while this important modernisation project was carried out.

“I now challenge people to come and see for themselves the difference that has been made and, more importantly, support the many fantastic local shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, businesses, and service providers that operate in the area.”

With work about to start on the changes to the Bullring roundabout as well as the demolition of part of the Oak Mall, the Greenock councillor believes the town is set for a complete transformation.

He added: "Greenock town centre is going to be unrecognisable in a few years' time as we get the investment that has been called for. The levelling up fund is going to transformational on top of this.

"I have been involved in this for a very long time. When we first launched the forum and held the charrettes people wanted change in West Blackhall Board. It was like a chess board.

"We have listened to what people have said and it has made a difference. I am delighted that we have been able to work with Sustrans and SPT to make it work."

The aim of the redevelopment is to create an area which is accessible for all with additional space for pedestrians and cyclists and new public realm areas with extra seating and trees to enhance the environment, whilst maintaining vehicle access.

In West Blackhall Street, existing roads layouts have been replaced with a single one-way system straight through from Westburn Street to Grey Place.

Work was carried out in two phases initially starting in January 2024 and was completed last month.

A large portion of the funding came from Sustrans Scotland through their ‘Places for Everyone’ scheme.

Another £300,000 project to improve the National Cycle Network Route 75, which links West Blackhall Street to Greenock Esplanade, and upgrading the Patrick Street junction is also set to be completed

The upgraded junctions at Patrick Street and Campbell Street, as well as improvements to 1.8km of the Esplanade, will enable people to walk, wheel and cycle safely and easily between the newly revamped high street and the waterfront.

Simon Strain, head of programme, Places for Everyone, at Sustrans, said: “Making places safer and more accessible to reach and move around actively is a win-win for our communities, and we’re delighted to see these changes on West Blackhall Street which give the people of Greenock more choice for their everyday journeys.

“As well as benefitting people’s health and wellbeing, the revitalisation of West Blackhall Street will offer a huge boost to local businesses, who can expect greater footfall as the street becomes a more attractive destination for locals and visitors alike.”

SPT provided funding towards works including upgrades to traffic lights and pavements at the Grey Place side of West Blackhall Street and to support other elements of the redevelopment.

Councillor David Wilson, SPT chair of operations, said: “SPT is delighted to have supported this project from the beginning, which will improve the public realm on West Blackhall Street for all users, including those walking and wheeling.

“This is exactly the sort of project which can make such a difference to Inverclyde, improving the area to become a much more pleasant place to visit and support the variety of local business available.

“SPT’s funding investment in recent years has helped support major improvements within Greenock town centre and surrounding streets.

“These latest streetscape and public realm enhancements will help make the town centre a much more welcoming pedestrian friendly environment for residents and visitors alike.”

During the construction works, Inverclyde Council provided around £160,000 of one-off grant funding to nearly 60 eligible small and medium-sized businesses in the vicinity of West Blackhall Street affected by the cost-of-living crisis, as well as the improvement works.

This article and images appeared in The Greenock Telegraph.