THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)
THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of Spaces for people works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Greenmarket (from its junction at 1-12 Seabraes to approximately 300 metres west), Dundee.
This notice comes into effect on Saturday 26 June for one night (5pm to 5am).
Many thanks to the residents who contacted me earlier this month about damage to the wall at the residents’ car park between Polepark Road and Lower Pleasance.
I reported this to Neighbourhood Services at the City Council and the Housing Support Officer has since responded as follows :
“(In response) to your enquiry sent 06/06/21 regarding the issue with the damaged wall at the car park adjacent to 45-65 Polepark Road … a repair was logged on 08/06/21 to carrying out reinstatement work here. This is shown as completed on our system 11/06/21 so the issue should now be resolved.”
During the recent demolition works at 219-245 Blackness Road, the bus stop at the Ashbank Road junction for services towards the City Centre has been out of action for safety reasons.
Now the demolition works are nearly complete – and it will be some time before the new build will commence – many residents have asked when the bus stop will be back in action. It is used by many people from the Blackness and Logie areas and a fair walk to the next nearest stop.
I took this matter up with the City Council and the Senior Transport Officer in Parking & Sustainable Transport updated me yesterday as follows :
“We’ve had a further update from the contractor regarding the above works, they’ve confirmed that the site hoarding is being finalised today/ tomorrow and that they’ll clean up, remove fencing, and off hire the pedestrian crossings on Thursday/ Friday.
I’ll visit the site on Friday and once clear, will request that the bus stop at Seymour Street is served again.”
The removal of the temporary traffic/pedestrian lights is also welcome and I am also grateful for the council’s very prompt action on Monday when a safety concern about their operation was raised by me on behalf of residents.
Many thanks to the residents who contacted me about a pole with parking sign on Lochee Road that had fallen over – not vandalism – rust at its base!
I contacted the City Council about it to get the old pole removed and a new one installed and have received the following helpful feedback :
“The sign and pole will have to be replaced and reinstated as the sign is there to inform drivers of the parking regulations that are currently in place.
The Roads Maintenance Partnership will have to reinstate a new pole to replace the rusty one.”
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL – WEEKLY ROAD REPORTREPORT FOR WEST END WARD – WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 21 JUNE 2021
Perth Road (at Riverside Drive) – off‑peak temporary traffic control for one week for lining work.
Brook Street, Dundee– temporary traffic lights for one week for City Fibre H3G project.
City Fibre H3G Project – rolling road closures commencing on Tuesday 15 June for 7 weeks. Rankine Street (full length) – closed from Tuesday 15 June for 10 days: Horsewater Wynd closed southbound from Monday 28 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (Hawkhill to Ward Road) – closed northbound from Monday 28 June for 2 days: Lochee Road (Cleghorn Street to Tullideph Road) closed from Tuesday 29 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (South Ward Road to Argyllgait) – closed southbound from Wednesday 30 June for 2 days. Closures of Lochee Road (Dudhope Terrace to Black Street), Polepark Road, Cleghorn Street, Brewery Lane, Session Street, Brown Street, Argyllgait and South Ward Road to follow in July.
Riverside Avenue (near Wright Avenue) – overnight (7.30pm to 6.30am) temporary traffic lights on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 for Vodafone work.
Blackness Road (at Seymour Street) – temporary traffic lights on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 June for BT work.
Forthcoming Roadworks
Glamis Road (at Dickson Avenue) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 28 June for 3 days for BT work.
West Marketgait (Greenmarket to Nethergate) – closed northbound on Sunday 4 July for Scottish Water work.
Blackness Road (at Glenagnes Road) – temporary traffic lights from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 July for BT work.
A resident recently wrote to me : “We were a bit bemused this morning as we walked through the old part of the Balgay cemetery. I know the council is big on keeping things au natural in way of cutting the grass etc but would just about need a machete to sit at this bench”
Good point!
I raised this with environment management and have received the following and helpful response :
“… will get the grass around this bench stimmed as soon as practical.”
A big shout out goes today to Helena, a Blackness Primary School Parent!
Helena is a self employed gardener and garden designer running her business called Gorgeous Gardens by Helena. At the latest Friends of Blackness Zoom meeting, Helena kindly offered to improve the area in Pennycook Lane directly opposite the school entrance.
On her behalf, I checked that the area is in City Council ownership to ensure owner consent and what a lovely job Helena is making of the area – looking superb. Many thanks Helena!
In co-operation with the Friends of Balgay, the Bonnie Dundee group has organised a litter pick at Balgay Park as part of city-wide environment events this Saturday – 19th June.
All welcome – simply turn up at the Balgay Park Scott Street entrance at 10am on Saturday.
I have expressed concern about Dundee City Council’s woeful record on litter fixed penalties issued over the past two years which are :
In calendar year 2019 – just 12 litter FPNs issued
In calendar year 2020 – just 9 litter FPNs issued
In Glasgow, 4490 penalties handed out in 2019 and even with the COVID pandemic in 2020, Glasgow City council still issued 950 fines last year and I feel that Dundee City Council should be putting more resource into tackling littering and issuing fixed penalties, something many constituents view as an important issue.
Whilst issuing fixed penalties for people who litter the city is only one way of tackling the problem, the City Council’s record on issuing these in recent years is pretty grim and it really must do better on this.
So many residents in my own ward in the West End regularly complain about the mess of litter and not issuing fixed penalties to those who cause the problem does not help. The environment staff do a good job of clearing up mess when I raise residents’ concerns about litter at particular locations but fixed penalties play a role in tackling this problem and the council has to get the act together on this. I agree that there are other actions that are also necessary including a good network of litter bins and also more street sweeping staffing.
Environment management has lost significant staffing since 2015 and the number of posts lost in the past six years we are advised amounts to over 50 posts. The number of manual street sweeping posts included in this figure that have been deleted amounts to over 30 of these with the remaining posts being a loss of gardeners, Ground Maintenance Operatives, Seasonal Leisure Attendants and others. I called for an additional 15 street sweeping staff at this year’s budget and believe this is also a vital action that should be taken.
The City Council’s Head of Community Safety and Protection advised me :
“I can advise that our approach to dealing with litter involves a wider strategy than enforcement. Dealing with litter is part of our Take Pride in Your City Campaign, which has as one of its strategic aims to encourage people to take shared responsibility for their environment. The campaign is an ongoing programme of work that promotes public and business participation. Prior to the first lockdown colleagues from Environment, Community Safety & Protection and Zero Waste Scotland collaborated on a ‘nudge’ project to encourage the use of street litter bins in the City Centre. In 2019/20 the waste and recycling team visited 27 nurseries, primary and secondary schools giving talks to children and young people to encourage the use of litter bins.
A recent new action added to the programme is to make visits to businesses as they reopen following easing of the Covid -19 restrictions to ensure that operators reinstate appropriate commercial waste contracts. The outcome of this will be to reduce littering created by business operators who fail to properly contain their commercial waste, prevention being better than cure. Having said that, a number of the FPN we have issued relate to commercial premises, where discarded refuse sacks can lead to litter being easily spread once they are split open.”
I have suggested to the council officers that some discussion takes place with Glasgow City Council about its proactive approach to littering and the Head of Community Safety and Protection has agreed that officers will speak with that council about how it tackles the litter issue. I do think it is vital that a proactive approach is taken if the city is genuinely to be ‘Bonnie Dundee.’
THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)
THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of Scottish Water repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Tay Street Lane, Dundee.
This notice comes into effect on Friday 18 June for one night (7.30pm to 6.30am).
Many thanks to the residents who recently highlighted to me that the fence at Pleasance Court on the corner of Brook Street and Brewery Lane is rather badly damaged.
I contacted the factors Ross & Liddell who now have matters in hand – the fence was hit by a vehicle and the driver has given Ross & Liddell insurance details.
REPORT FOR WEST END WARD – WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 14 JUNE 2021
Perth Road (at Riverside Drive) – off‑peak temporary traffic control for one week for lining work.
Brook Street, Dundee– temporary traffic lights for 2 weeks for City Fibre H3G project.
City Road (Tullideph Place to Logie Street) – closed southbound on Monday 14 June (7.00pm to 1.00am) for BT work. Logie Street (at Ancrum Road) – temporary traffic lights on Monday 14 June (7.00pm to 1.00am) for BT work. City Fibre H3G Project – rolling road closures commencing on Tuesday 15 June for 7 weeks. Rankine Street (full length) – closed from Tuesday 15 June for 10 days: Horsewater Wynd closed southbound from Monday 28 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (Hawkhill to Ward Road) – closed northbound from Monday 28 June for 2 days: Lochee Road (Cleghorn Street to Tullideph Road) closed from Tuesday 29 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (South Ward Road to Argyllgait) – closed southbound from Wednesday 30 June for 2 days. Closures of Lochee Road (Dudhope Terrace to Black Street), Polepark Road, Cleghorn Street, Brewery Lane, Session Street, Brown Street, Argyllgait and South Ward Road to follow in July.
Nethergate (at Tay Street Lane) – overnight (7.30pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic control on Friday 18 June for Scottish Water ironwork repair. Access to Tay Street Lane closed.
Forthcoming Roadworks
Riverside Avenue (near Mayo Avenue) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 21 June for one week for Vodafone work.
THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)
THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of BT duct repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in City Road (westbound between Tullideph Place and Logie Street), Dundee.
This notice comes into effect on Monday 14 June for one night (7pm to 1am).
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
Alternative routes for vehicles are available Tullideph Road / Lochee Road / Logie Street.
The Generation Rent project is a collaboration between Dundee City Council and Generation Rent.
The aim of the project is to identify best practice in ensuring tenants in the private sector are more informed of their rights and responsibilities.
Dundee is the only Scottish Local Authority participating alongside three English and one Welsh authority in the project.
We recognised that whilst we have very good lines of communication with landlords and agents through the HMO Licensing Scheme, Landlord Registration and Dundee Landlord Accreditation, it is much more difficult to communicate with tenants and particularly the most vulnerable tenants who will often move home on a regular basis.
We encouraging tenants to complete an online or telephone survey that launched last month and runs until 18th June. Submitted questionnaires will be subsequently analysed by Generation Rent and the outcome of the project nationally, used to identify best practice.
As recently reported in the Courier and Evening Telegraph, a number of residents have asked me when the Blether Bus service that was suspended at the start of the COVID-19 health emergency can return. It has take longer to bring back as it uses small mini-buses and that’s a challenge with social distancing still in place.
The City Council’s Team Leader, Parking and Sustainable Transport has now updated me as follows :
“My colleague has been in discussion with the team at Fleet Management and we are targeting a date during the school summer holidays for the return of Blether Bus services.
We hope this can be achieved.We are also watching the public health advice for bus travel carefully, conscious of the age of the client group and the limited space within the minibuses for physical distancing.
When we have a firm date for the return of the Blether Bus services we will communicate this with all elected members within whose wards the services operate. We will also liaise with colleagues in the communications team to discuss how we can best publicise the return of the services to passengers.”
Residents have highlighted to me that the area around the Tay Rail Bridge Disaster memorial on Riverside Drive is badly in need of weeding.
I therefore asked environment management in the City Council to carry this out and it was promptly tidied up although I have asked for it to be completed so it is neater and the surrounding area given a tidy too.
REPORT FOR WEST END WARD – WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 7 JUNE 2021
Step Row – closed for its entire length for street lighting column replacement from Monday 7 June for 5 days.
Forthcoming Roadworks
City Fibre H3G Project – rolling road closures commencing on Tuesday 15 June for 7 weeks. Rankine Street (full length) – closed from Tuesday 15 June for 10 days: Horsewater Wynd closed southbound from Monday 28 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (Hawkhill to Ward Road) – closed northbound from Monday 28 June for 2 days: Lochee Road (Cleghorn Street to Tullideph Road) closed from Tuesday 29 June for 4 days: West Marketgait (South Ward Road to Argyllgait) – closed southbound from Wednesday 30 June for 2 days. Closures of Lochee Road (Dudhope Terrace to Black Street), Polepark Road, Cleghorn Street, Brewery Lane, Session Street, Brown Street, Argyllgait and South Ward Road to follow in July.
A number of residents have said it would be a great boon for Lochee Park to have a multi-use games area (MUGA). These are now provided in various locations in the city and would be of real benefit in Lochee Park.
I therefore took up the matter with environment management at the City Council and indeed raised it at the council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee.
The Service Manager – Environment has updated me as follows :
“While in agreement that the addition of a MUGA would potentially be an asset to Lochee Park, we do not have capital monies available to fund such a project currently.
Funds are focused on health and safety, balanced with need and level of use throughout all wards. We will of course keep it on our radar to explore feasibility in the future.”
I have responded asking that Lochee Park is considered in future capital programmes for a multi-use games area and will continue to pursue this.
THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)
THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of BT duct repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in City Road (westbound between Tullideph Place and Logie Street), Dundee.
This notice comes into effect on Sunday 6 June 2021 for one day.
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Tullideph Road / Lochee Road / Logie Street.
For further information contact 433082.
Executive Director of City Development Dundee City Council
THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)
THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of street lighting column replacement works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Step Row (for its entire length), Dundee.
This notice comes into effect on Monday 7th June 2021 for five working days.
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
Access for residents will be maintained.
Alternative routes for vehicles are available Perth Road / Patons Lane / Magdalen Yard Road / Thomson Street.
Following residents’ concerns about road safety and the speed of a minority of vehicles in Milnbank Road at the corner of Easson’s Angle , I raised this with the City Council’s roads team.
The Senior Engineer – Traffic & Road Safety has now advised as follows :
“A speed survey was undertaken in the summer of 2015 on Milnbank Road just west of Easson’s Angle. The average speed was recorded as 24mph with the majority of drivers travelling at or below the speed limit.
As this survey was over five years ago, I will arrange for another one to be undertaken. Please be aware that because of the two national lockdowns there is a significant backlog of surveys and with limited staff and resources I cannot give you a date for when this survey will be undertaken.
Any records of speeding will be forwarded onto Police Scotland, who are responsible for enforcing the speed limits, to allow them to provide targeted enforcement as required.
There have been no recorded injury accidents at this location over the last five years, 2016 to 2020. However, I will arrange for a site survey to be undertaken to determine if any appropriate measures can be introduced.”
The Friends of Dundee City Archives are doing an online talk via Zoom about the history of the Logie housing scheme on Thursday 3rd June at 1pm.
Sarah Aitken, Assistant Archivist at Dundee City Archives, will speak about Dundee’s pioneering Council Housing Scheme at Logie – the first of its kind in Scotland.
Find out why the site at Logie was chosen, why Dundee was the first council to build homes and who were the first people to live in those homes.
