Bankfoot Roundabout

Bankfoot Roundabout is the junction of the A78 and the A770 north of Inverkip, Renfrewshire. At Classification, the A78 went via Gourock (today's A770) instead of the current Spango Valley route while the current A78 was originally numbered A742. the junction was also originally a simple T-junction, and it is likely that it was laid out as a TOTSO junction for the A78 at some point in the past, due to the angles of approach. In the early 1980's, IBM paid for the upgrade of the A742 to become D2 through Spango Valley to improve access to their expanded factory, so in 1985 the A78 was rerouted onto the route of the A742 while the old road became A770. In 2004 the T-junction was finally replaced with a roundabout thus forming today's roundabout junction.

The junction today is therefore a 4-arm roundabout, with the dualled A78 heading roughly north-south. The dual carriageway comes to an end a short distance south of the junction, and the southern arm of the A78 was pushed slightly eastwards, when the roundabout was installed. The A770 heads west into Gourock, and the eastern arm is a private access to Bankfoot Farm and stables that lie slightly to the north. This driveway curves to run parallel to the dual carriageway, but doubtless the original access was direct onto the A742 to the north of the modern roundabout.

The pavement runs on only one side of the A78, this being on the east side north of the roundabout, switching to the west side south of the roundabout. A crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, with a large refuge on the central reservation, is located on the north side of the roundabout to facilitate the switch of the pavement to the other side. The A770 also has a pavement on only one side (south) and a similar crossing, with a smaller refuge in the middle, crosses the A770 arm of the roundabout. A request by the riding school at Bankfoot Farm for a Pegasus Crossing to be installed at this point was declined by Inverclyde Council in the early 2000s.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A78	Stranraer, Glasgow (M8)
A78	Inverkip, Rothesay Ferry, Irvine	Former A742
A770	Gourock	Former A78
	Ardgowan Riding Centre, Bankfoot Farm
A78	Gourock, Greenock, Glasgow (M8)	Now A770
A742	Greenock	Now A78

Strip Maps

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  The interchange at Classification.

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  The interchange as it was in 1985.

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  The interchange as it is now.