COUNCIL bosses have been accused of giving preferential treatment to East Renfrewshire’s affluent suburbs when carrying out vital road repairs.

As revealed by the Barrhead News earlier this month, the local authority is planning an additional £3million programme of improvements to the area’s potholed streets and pavements.

It follows a £15m five-year spend on road repairs announced in February last year.

However, Councillor Paul Aitken has said the proposed repair work is “far more extensive” in the upmarket suburbs of Newton Mearns, Clarkston and Giffnock than in Barrhead.

He has accused council officials of being biased against Barrhead in favour of its upmarket neighbours.

Councillor Aitken, who represents Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor as an Independent, said: “Of the £3million allocated to resurfacing roads in East Renfrewshire, I am obviously very pleased that works are taking place at Crossmill Avenue and Waulkmill Avenue in Barrhead.

“These roads next to Carlibar Primary have been neglected for some time.

“However, I see that the Barrhead works represent only a small fraction of the works being carried out.

“The roadworks are far more extensive in Newton Mearns and Clarkston.

“I would call upon the council’s head of roads to explain the prejudice against Barrhead.”

Other routes to be resurfaced in Barrhead include Cruachan Way, Cruachan Drive, Oakbank Drive and the A736 Levern and Lochlibo Roads.

However, repair work is also due to be carried out across Newton Mearns, Clarkston and Giffnock, including Castleton Drive, Greenwood Road, Kilpatrick Gardens, Woodvale Avenue and Church Road.

One Barrhead local, who asked to be named, said: “There seems to be a lot more roads in affluent areas like Newton Mearns and Clarkston that are having money spent on them compared to Barrhead.

“There’s long been a feeling in the town that East Renfrewshire Council favours the so-called ‘posh suburbs’ when it comes to road repairs.

“It’s said that people in these areas pay a lot in council tax but so do we in Barrhead.

“It’s not as if we’re getting something for nothing.”

The original £15m repair programme was delayed due to restrictions on the construction industry posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

East Renfrewshire Council has said most of the £3m repair funding is to be spent on unclassified roads which need “significant works.”

A spokeswoman added: “As in previous years, the council has taken a number of factors into consideration when prioritising road maintenance.

“These include the condition of the road or pavements and its usage, feedback received from the public and the geographical spread.

“We do not prioritise any specific town or village.”