WORKS to upgrade Paisley’s Hawkhead Cemetery are scheduled to begin this week and finish by the end of June.

Cash has been put towards overhauling the roads, drainage and kerbs at the Hawkhead Road facility.

An update was given on the project, which set out an approximate timeline for the improvements, on Friday.

The first phase is set to begin to the left of the main entrance this week and is expected to be completed by Friday, June 2.

Once this stage has concluded, the second phase at the back of the cemetery is due to commence and finish by Friday, June 30.

Karen Anderson, Renfrewshire Council’s sustainability and place manager, said: “We have been in contact with local funeral directors to ensure that burials and internments can continue to take place during the period of work and contractors on site will be as respectful as possible.

“All areas of the cemetery will be open for funerals and visitors using the signposted diversions, which may require taking a longer route than normal.

“We would ask visitors to the cemetery to avoid all areas coned off and as always to be respectful and stay on the main routes, taking care not to drive over graves or pedestrian paths.”

A works contract for the project – worth around £230,000 excluding VAT – was awarded to John McGeady Ltd after councillors gave it their seal of approval at the finance board in late March.

Des Barr, who formed the Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery pressure group, has lobbied the council on the issue of maintenance and repairs for the commemorative site.

“We’ve got to give them praise where praise is due and that road and drainage being attended to is massive,” he said at the time.

“It’s a big investment and it will mean so much to the cemetery users at the top of that hill, because there’s no road there to be honest.

“It’s basically a dirt track now.”