West End road safety improvements

The City Council agreed to two road safety improvements in the West End some months ago – at the Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue junction and at the Perth Road/Riverside Drive junction.

 

I recently asked for an update on what was being proposed and the City Development Department has advised as follows :

“Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue Junction  :   Existing give way lines at Blackness Avenue to be removed and replaced further north towards Blackness Road.   This will improve sightlines with any parked cars along Blackness Road.   A requisition has been submitted for pricing to Tayside Contracts and we are currently awaiting the cost estimate.

Perth Road/Riverside Drive Junction :   Network Management is currently in consultation with activated signs suppliers to consider sign options.    This is to improve safety for road users travelling along Perth Road eastbound to highlight the junction and traffic merging from Perth Road westbound onto Riverside Drive north section/Perth Road.”

Hanging street sign – Blackness Avenue

Following concerns from residents about a loose street sign in Blackness Avenue, hanging on-high from a tenement, I raised the matter with the City Council :

I have been assured by the Roads Maintenance Partnership that this would be swiftly repaired.

Tree replacements – Blackness Avenue

The City Council recently crowned a number of trees in Blackness Avenue that were requiring trimming and a small number were removed where the tree had either died off or the roots were causing a significant deal of damage to the footpath.

 

A number of residents have sought assurances that any removed trees will be replaced.   I took this up with the council’s Assistant Forestry Officer who advises :

 

“I can assure you and your constituents that replacement street tree planting at Blackness Avenue will be carried out with in the next tree planting season. 

 

The season will likely be between November 2015 to the end of March 2016. 

 

All trees that have been removed have had their stumps subject to grinding and back filled with top soil to create a tree pit for the new trees to be planted. 

 

There are one or two areas that are to be patched over, as per the site visit and agreement last year. 

 

All remaining tree pits within Blackness Avenue will be planted with a new street tree during this next planting season.”

Walkabout – Blackness/Corso/Abbotsford area

Yesterday, along with a representative from the Housing Department and a representative from the Environment Department, I took part in a walkabout around the Blackness/Corso/Abbotsford area.

The six-monthly walkabouts take place in a number of areas (Pentland and Logie are other examples) and are a useful way to look at local issues and problems and ensure these are taken up and resolved.

Here’s a couple of photos of matters discussed yesterday, which also including bins/cleansing issues and overgrown trees in the area.

New improved street lighting being installed in the area

Pavement trip hazard at Peddie Street/ Abbotsford Place junction reported for repair

Getting things done – Blackness Avenue

Further to last week’s Blackness walkabout that I undertook with council officers, I raised the poor condition of a tree bed in Blackness Avenue (see right) where the tree has been removed and a muddy trip hazard is left.

 

I asked the council’s Forestry Section if they could plant a replacement tree and tidy up the bed area.

 

I have now received the following response :

This years annual street tree survey will be carried out mid / late summer.   All empty tree pits will be identified for potential replacement planting during this survey.   My intention will be to replant in this tree pit and we will top dress with wood chip as a weed suppressant and reduce the trip hazard. 

At present there are provisional plans to carry out tree pruning and felling works in Blackness Avenue and planting works will be carried out next planting season. In the short term prior to planting season I will arrange for the pit to be top dressed with wood chip.

Blackness area walkabout

Yesterday, along with council officers from Housing and Community Safety Wardens, I took part in a walkabout around the Blackness area.   The six-monthly walkabouts take place in a number of areas (Pentland and Logie are other examples) and are a useful way to look at local issues and problems and ensure these are taken up and resolved.

 

Here’s a couple of issues picked up from yesterday’s walkabout:

Eurobins in Peddie Street – I have raised the emptying schedule with the Environment Department

Tree bed in Blackness Avenue – now a muddy trip hazard since the removal of the tree – I have taken this up with the City Council

Wednesday activities

This morning, I had useful site visits with roads inspection staff from the City Council looking at poor pavement condition in part of Perth Road and also the poor conditioned road surface at the busy Balgay Road/Blackness Avenue/Blackness Road junction (see right).

 

With regard to this roads junction, I am pleased to say that the junction will be reinstated with work starting next Monday (12th May) – weather permitting.   The work will take a maximum of 2 days but might be completed in one day.   As temporary traffic lights will be required during the improvements work, these will be put in place only after the rush hour on Monday morning.

 

Later this morning, I had a very useful meeting with our new senior police officer for the West End (and the remainder of what the police term ‘Dundee South’) Inspector Gary Ogilvie, at which we discussed West End policing issues.

 

Earlier tonight,  I attended the Annual General Meeting of Community Spirit – the community group for the “north” part of West End Ward, covering Tullideph, Pentland, Ancrum and the Cleghorn area.   The meeting took place in the Mitchell Street Centre.

 

Guest speaker was Ian Ford of the Friends of Riverside Nature Park, who gave a very interesting presentation on the development of the park.    Thereafter, I had the pleasure of chairing the actual AGM part of the meeting.    Sandra Myles stood down as Chair after four very successful years in the role and we all thanked Sandra for all she has done for the group and the local area – I’m pleased to say Sandra will still be attending Community Spirit’s meetings.   

 

New Chair is George Chalmers and Len Jamieson is continuing as Secretary.

 

One final update for today.   Residents complained to me that the dog bin in Logie Avenue at Ashbank Road was “rather full” – as you can see (left) that’s rather an understatement!   The Environment Department has assured me this will be urgently tidied.