Tavish in town …

Dundee LibDems are most grateful to Tavish Scott MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, who today spent more time in the West End campaiging with John Barnett, Liberal Democrat Westminster candidate for Dundee West. John and Tavish are pictured above during an interview in Nethergate.I also attended tonight’s West End Community Council meeting. There [...]

Latest news

A few latest updates!
* Blackness Court Sheltered Housing – I have been campaigning for some time to have the footpaths near to the sheltered housing improved. On Friday, along with two residents, I had a useful site visit with a City Council roads inspector who has promised to progress pavement improvements at the Rosefield Place/Blackness [...]

Housing improvements – Blackness and Logie

The project officer in the Housing Department’s Improvement Unit has updated me as follows :
Logie – Kitchen & Bathroom Replacement 2009/10
I am sure you are aware that we have lots of containers on Logie Avenue.
 
I would like to reassure you that any damage to grassed area will be made good when containers are removed. [...]

Hopes for new school crossing patroller in Blackness Road

Dundee City Council has advised me that it hopes to provide a new school crossing patrol on Blackness Road, following my raising residents’ requests for this safety measure. I am pleased about this, coming soon after resolution of the school crossing patroller problem at Hawkhill.
Blackness Road at the Kelso Street steps is a greatly used [...]

Beautiful morning in the West End … and an update on Blackness Road

I was out and about visiting constituents this morning and as this view from the WL Gore site in Perth Road shows, it is a thoroughly beautiful morning!
With regard to last night’s update about the traffic lights on Blackness Road, I spoke to the City Council first thing this morning and got assurances about [...]

The ‘pointless’ traffic lights have gone – but the bus stop needs attention!

The ‘pointless’ traffic lights in Blackness Road were finally removed today but well after the roadworks caused by work to repair a burst water main had been completed on the road.I contacted Scottish Water’s Regional Community Manager first thing this morning and was promised the traffic lights removal was in hand and I made a visit [...]

Blackness Road – pedestrian safety concerns

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with two residents of Blackness Court, the sheltered housing complex at the east end of Blackness Road.
The residents showed me their concerns about the condition of the pavement east of their homes – on the north side of Blackness Road, at the road junction with Rosefield [...]

Weeds on local roads

I complained bitterly last year about the extent of weeds on road edges and pavements in the West End, and all credit to the City Development Department – weed spraying in the West End was started earlier this year and I have had far fewer complaints from residents this year.
In response to an e-mail I [...]

Pavement condition complaints

I recently raised residents’ complaints about the condition of the south side footpath on Perth Road – between Thomson Street & Step Row. I have had the following feedback from the City Council :
“The area inspector checked this section of footway on the south side of Perth Road between Thomson Street and Step Row and [...]

Overgrown weeds and grass concerns in the West End

Above : Weeds at Blackness Road

Above : Ninewells Avenue/Perth Road roundabout

Above : Ninewells Avenue at the hospital entrance

I have welcomed reassurances by Dundee City Council that overgrown weeds and grass in the West End are now being tackled.
I have had numerous complaints from West End constituents about overgrown weeds on pavements and [...]

Temporary Traffic Order – Annfield Road

Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating gas main reinforcement works. The Order is expected to be in force for four weeks from 16 February 2009. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
The effect of the [...]

Litter tackled

Last week I had a number of litter complaints and I’m most grateful to the City Council’s Waste Management Department for its swift tackling of these, including:
 
* Around the Kelso Street steps from Blackness Road – already swept.
 
* At the far west end of Perth Road/Riverside Avenue – litter mainly in bushes and ground in [...]

Roundabout improvement

At the time of the recent resurfacing of the roadway around the roundabout at the west end of Blackness Road (at Glamis Drive/Road), I asked the City Council if a small environmental improvement scheme could be undertaken to make the rather drab roundabout a bit brighter and more attractive.

The City Council kindly agreed to [...]

Latest planning and transport initiatives

Here’s a couple of the latest news releases from the City Council – these matters will be on the agenda of Planning & Transport Committee, the City Council committee I chair, on Monday coming.
The proposed multi-storey car park at Hunter Street will be a boon for the residents in the West Port area and provide [...]

West End Bus Matters …

There have been quite a few bus related queries this week.

Firstly, with regard to the roadworks at the roundabout at Blackness Road/Glamis Road/Glamis Drive (see right), residents had contacted me to complain that, although there was a temporary bus stop in location on the inbound route at the roadworks, no such facility exisited for outbound [...]

Blackness Road/Glamis Road

I have for some time had complaints about the condition of the roadway and roundabout at the junction of Blackness Road and Glamis Road. The roadway and kerbing is in poor shape and the roundabout drab. I have raised this with the City Council and have received the following feedback :
“Blackness Road/Glamis Road junction is [...]

Road condition : Blackness Road

Following a resident’s complaint about the road condition on Blackness Road east of the Fire Station and the Al-Maktoum Institute, I contacted the City Council about this. I have now received the following response :
“Thank you for your report of potholes on Blackness Road near the Al Maktoum Centre. The area inspector has checked the [...]

Recycling again

The Courier today highlights the differing situation facing residents on different sides of part of Blackness Road – where residents on the south side have blue (paper) and brown (garden) recycling wheelie bins, but the residents on the north side do not have individual recycling bins.
As I commented in the Courier article, the reason for [...]

Blackness Road and Blackness Avenue junction

Recently a number of constituents have raised concerns about the operation of the juunction of Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue and wondered if it would operate better as a roundabout rather than the present give way.

As one resident put it, “The junction is used fairly evenly by all of the routes entering it, so I think [...]

Road safety matters …

Yesterday, along with my West End councillor colleagues, I met with residents and a representative of the City Council’s Planning & Transportation Department regarding two West End road safety concerns:

Firstly, a useful meeting with the Chair of Logie Residents’ Association about safety concerns in Logie Avenue. A speed survery will now be undertaken [...]

Blackness Road graffiti tackled

If you click the headline above, you can read the story in tonight’s Evening Telegraph about the unfortunate appearance of more graffiti locally – this time on Blackness Road.

Following this matter being raised with me yesterday, I was in touch with the City Council Waste Management Department about it and I am pleased to [...]

Blackness Road, Richmond Terrace, Lollipop Patrol

A busy day today, with a site visit in Richmond Terrace relative to a planning appeal (I moved refusal of an application here back in January – click on headline above to read original story).

A busy night at the City Council tonight, with no less than 21 agenda items on the Planning & Transport Committee [...]

Pavements – Blackness Road

I recently mentioned in my FOCUS newsletter about the planned footpath upgrade in part of Blackness Road. This is now underway as the photos below show. Many thanks indeed to Donald Suttie (www.rockwellmedia.co.uk) for these.

Beautiful campaigning day!

Apart from a short time helping Chris Hall, our Lochee Ward candidate in Menzieshill this afternoon, I have spent most of today campaigning in the West End. It was a lovely morning – the photo above was taken in Blackness Road – and I can honestly say that my third election campaign is proving to [...]

Latest West End Updates

Firstly, following a call from a concerned resident today to the effect that the “infra red” detector on the traffic lights at the top of Shepherd’s Loan have stopped operating (meaning that your car can sit there forever waiting on the green light), I spoke with the Planning & Transportation Department & the matter will [...]

Blackness Road – Bus Shelter request

Following my recent request to the Planning & Transportation Department to add the bus stop on Blackness Road between Seymour Street and Ashbank Road for future consideration for bus shelter provision, please to advise this has been added to the waiting list for future provision.

Council Tax, Wet Weekend, Tom Spiers, Trees again …

Much of Friday was spent on City Council budget matters (with Council Finance Convener hat on) – click on headline above to view more about this. We have spent a very wet weekend campaigning in various parts of the City; intend thawing out tonight!

A resident contacted me Thursday about a [...]

Speeding issues and NCR latest

Firstly, my colleague Cllr Helen Dick & I are (along with elected representatives across the political spectrum) meeting Nicol Stephen MSP, the Enterprise Minister, on Monday about the NCR situation – read more by clicking the headline above.

I have today been advised about initial results with regard to the speed survey I had asked for [...]