Published: Tuesday, 2nd March, 2010 3:56pm

Councillor George Black - An Independent Voice

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IT is with regret that I note the passing of community activist Ann Melvin.

Ann was a foot soldier in a frock and worked tirelessly for her community.

Despite failing health and advancing years, she remained active in Silverton and Overton Community Council until late last year.

She also served for many years on the boards of both the Law Centre and Dumbarton District Housing Federation and was a committee member of Silverton Tenants and Residents Association.

She was, using local parlance, "in everything but the store windae".

She was, however, a foot soldier first and last, no Citizen of the Year or OBE for Annie, but she will be sadly missed.

Tempers frayed

LAST Tuesday, the area was gridlocked again because of an accident on the eastbound approaches to the Erskine Bridge.

Children were late or missed school, flights were missed or made in the nick of time, appointments were cancelled and tempers and nerves were on edge or frayed respectively.

National politicians and even local ones, who are members of large political parties, have spent or wasted much time debating the pros and cons and indeed the desirability of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link and, although this would be nice to have, it is a want rather than a need.

We do not need a rail link - we want one. We do not want a new road - we need one.

Anyone who has had to rearrange work, social or recreational activities because of the unacceptable conditions currently prevailing as a result of the inadequate road network that we have at present will, I am sure, agree with me.

All politicians of all parties and none should be combining and lobbying to have the A82 upgraded and included in this project we must have a relief road to ease the existing appalling conditions that exist when an accident or roadworks reduce the traffic flow on the section between the Dumbuck lights and the bridge.

I have personally lobbied for this for many years but to no avail.

Perhaps what we need now are firm proposals with costs on the alternatives.

The solutions, as I see them, are to build a parallel road with the A82 from Dunglass or throw another bridge across the Clyde at Langbank.

I understand that schemes of this nature are costly, but we cannot afford not to invest in one or the other of these options if this area is to be fully regenerated.

If the bar to having a road upgrade has been cost, then perhaps if we start lobbying for a bridge with ancillary roadworks we may get the consolation prize of a road.

Since I first thought of alternative solutions to a road upgrade, the potential of another river crossing has become more and more attractive.

It would divert traffic that was bound for Greenock or Port Glasgow from the Erskine Bridge and thereby reduce the strain on that crossing

This would obviously apply to westbound traffic as well in the current recession and it would also provide a welcome boost to the economy.

The spin-off in terms of economic growth would benefit communities on both sides of the river.