Bullring Roundabout

This article is about the junction called Bullring at the end of the A8 in Greenock.
For other junctions with similar name, see Bull Ring.

The Bullring Roundabout is a large roundabout in central Greenock. It marks the western end of the A8 and the northern end of the A78 (and the E05), as well as the eastern end of the A770. The A8 has travelled west from Glasgow, and used to continue further west to end at the ferry pier at Gourock, but was foreshortened when the A78 was rerouted away from the coast road onto its present route. The A770 came into being at the same time.

Much of Greenock's old town centre, and the waterfront, has been redeveloped over the last century, so the current junction is entirely new. The line of the A8 - A770 is the older of the roads, having superseded the old line (West Blackhall Street and Cathcart Street) by 1960. The A8 to the east has since been widened to a dual carriagway. The A78 to the south runs through where buildings once stood and whilst it previously met the A8 at the junction of High Street and Cathcart Street, it was later extended along Cathcart Street to meet the A8 to the east. At the time, the road was the A742.

The roundabout is now a four arm junction, the fourth arm being the unclassified road, Container Way. This provides access to Ocean Terminal, where cruise ships call, the retail park and other waterfront developments. In the middle of the roundabout is a car park at a slightly lower level, accessed by an entrance under the western side of the roundabout, which connects to the A770.

Redevelopment Proposal

In 2023 Inverclyde Council received levelling up funding to help redevelop parts of Greenock Town Centre. Part of the proposal includes the removal of the Bullring Roundabout, and its replacement with a flat, signalised crossroads at the junction of the A8 and A78 towards the south west of the current roundabout. The access to Container Way would be the northern arm of the new junction. The current flyover on the A78, which carries it over part of the shopping centre, would also be removed, bringing the road down to ground level, apparently to help 'reconnect' the town centre, and provide easier access. How a busy three lane road passing through the town centre on the level will improve pedestrian or traffic flows remains to be seen.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A8	(M8), Glasgow Airport, Paisley, Erskine Bridge (M898), Port Glasgow, Parking
A78	Irvine, Largs, Wemyss Bay 8, Isle of Bute Ferry, Inverkip 6, I.R. Hospital 2	former A742
A770	Gourock, Dunoon Ferry, Clyde - Argyll Ferry	former A8
	Ocean Terminal, Waterfront, Custom House Quay

Links

• Inverclyde Council website page on redevelopment