Nethergate

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate

From the 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 building cleaning works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on  Sunday 15th March 2020 for  one day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Access to premises will be maintained where possible.
 
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/Hawkhill/Hunter Street/Old Hawkhill/South Tay Street and reverse.
 
For further information contact 433168.
 
Director of City Development          
Dundee City Council

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate

From the 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 reinstatement works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (eastbound between Tay Street Lane and West Marketgait), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Sunday 12 May 2019 for 1 day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Alternative routes are available via Nethergate / Perth Road / Hawkhill / West Marketgait.
 
For further information contact 433082.
 
Executive Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate

From the 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 removal works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (eastbound between Tay Street Lane and West Marketgait), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Sunday 28 April 2019 for 1 day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Alternative routes are available via Nethergate / Perth Road / Hawkhill / West Marketgait.
 
For further information contact 433082.
 
Executive Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Getting things done – Nethergate #dundeewestend

Residents have drawn to my attention that in Nethergate – north side, between Park Place and bus stop just west of that – one of the large pavement edging stones has been dislodged, probably by heavy vehicle.
 
As a result, a big hole has appeared between the stone and the pavement, which someone might easily put their foot into and twist their ankle.
 
I reported this to the council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership and have received the following positive response :
 
“The Road Maintenance Partnership inspector for the area has raised an order to re-set the whin kerb at this location.”

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate #dundeewestend

From the 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 carriageway works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Saturday 17th March 2018 for 5 days.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.   Access to business premises will be maintained
 
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/Hawkhill/Perth Road/Nethergate and reverse 
 
For further information contact 433168.
 
Executive Director of City Development  
Dundee City Council
 
Having been previously assured that it was hoped to ensure the work would be carried out over a long weekend, I contacted the Road Maintenance Partnership Manager and his response is below.   
 
Thankfully, if all goes according to plan, it is hoped to close the road on Saturday morning and re-open on Sunday night – the 5 days referred to above is simply in case of any unforeseen problem once on-site :
 
“I can confirm the plan is to close the road Saturday morning and reopen on Sunday night. The extended closure booking has been put in place to allow for the unlikely event of unforeseen circumstances which may extend the works programme. 
 
With regard to the top surface, there was a desire from our colleagues in Dundee House for a cold applied screed finish (similar to antiskid surfacing). The screed treatment requested is a cold applied application rather than hot and as such is a summer activity and would require a second visit. 
 
Our plan for this visit is to surface in a traditional hot rolled asphalt surface which would be required in any event prior to a screed being laid. We’re using a red pigment in the asphalt along with red chips, with the aim to achieve a pleasing aesthetic finish prior to a second visit to apply the screed. 
 
As the screed will add no value other than appearance, if the red asphalt finish is acceptable to the community and doesn’t receive complaint we may in the interests of minimising further disruption postpone or cancel the screed layer planned for the summer. If there is a strong desire for the screed to be applied then we will undertake this in the summer.”

Getting things done – Nethergate

I have expressed concern that, less than a year after the resurfacing and relaying of the block paving surface at Nethergate outside Dundee Contemporary Arts, the road surface is already appearing to sink in places and is uneven – see right :
 
I have received three complaints from constituents about the road condition in just the past two days.    The work to bring the road outside DCA on the Nethergate at the South Tay Street junction was undertaken in February and March last year.   It is very concerning that, so soon after this work being completed, the road brickwork is uneven, exactly the issue with the road prior to the 2017 work.     This needs to be urgently attended to.
 
One West End constituent said when reporting the matter to me :
 
‘I have noticed that since the upgrade of the road outside the DCA that is it slowly going back to its condition of loose brick and developing pot holes.  I think that this is due to the volume of heavy bus traffic up the Perth road, although it is pleasing to the eye the surface is not practical for the traffic volume.  I am sure that the previous resurface cost a significant amount of money and I don’t think we have got what we paid for here, therefore I would be keen to see, acknowledgment that this is an issue and any subsequent communication with the council roads team on what the long term solution is.’
 
I have reported the matter to the council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership seeking urgent repair.   This is a heavily used road and on a major bus route so it is important it is brought up to standard as soon as possible.

Nethergate – Public Notice #dundeewestend

From the 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 crane lifting works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from West Marketgait to Park Place), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Sunday 28th January 2018 for one day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait /Hawkhill by- pass/Perth Road and reverse.
 
For further information contact 433168.
 
Executive Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Further Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate

From the City Council :
 
Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating carriageway resurfacing works.  The Order is expected to be in force for 3 weeks from 27 February 2017.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
 
The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Nethergate from West Marketgait to 20 metres or thereby west of South Tay Street.
 
Limited access will be maintained to properties for deliveries etc.
 
An alternative route will be available via West Marketgait, Hawkhill, Perth Road and Nethergate.
 
Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee  DD1 1LS and if you have any queries please contact 433082.

Nethergate roadworks today – temporary traffic order

From the 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 water service works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Sunday 19 February 2017 for one day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Access to premises will be maintained where possible.
 
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/ Hawkhill/Hunter Street/Old Hawkhill/South Tay Street and reverse.
 
For further information contact 433168.
 
Executive Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate

From the 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 water service works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait  to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on  Sunday 29th January 2017 for one day.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.
 
Access to premises will be maintained where possible
 
Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/Hawkhill/Hunter Street/Old Hawkhill/South Tay Street and reverse
 
For further information contact 433168.
 
Director of City Development          
Dundee City Council

Unfortunate licensing decision – Caird Bar and Grill

Caird Rest
I have called the decision by Dundee City Licensing Board to refuse an alcohol licence for the proposed Caird Bar and Grill as very unfortunate and not in the interests of the city’s economic growth and Dundee’s aspiration to have more top destination venues that will be attractive to the thousands of visitors that will come to Dundee to visit the V&A at Dundee when it is opened.
 
I am not a member of the Licensing Board, but understand the need for an alcohol ‘overprovision’ policy.   However, it should be used only as a guide and that when high quality applications came forward, exceptions had to be made, to ensure the growing quality of venues for local people and for visitors to the city.    
 
It is very unusual for me to get a flurry of complaints from constituents about a Licensing Board decision but that is exactly what has happened over the past few days.   Constituents are genuinely perplexed by this decision that they feel is not in the interests of Dundee’s visitor offering and of providing new high quality destination venues in the city.    I have written to licensing officers questioning the decision.    
 
I really don’t think this should be the end of the road for this application.     Dundee needs more facilities like the proposed Caird Bar and Grill and the decision taken last week was therefore extremely unfortunate.

Photopolis : Nethergate

This photograph of the north side of Dundee’s Nethergate at the junction with Tay Street Lane (below) dates from after 1891, after which point numbers in that section were altered after extensive building works. The image may date from shortly afterwards.
 
As there are no names on any of the shops, it is difficult to date the picture with any greater accuracy. The low building at the right hand side (and east) housed the galleries of J. Gonnella & Co., a family of Italian sculptors, several of them consuls.
 
The corner establishment was the wine and spirits business belonging to Peter Fenwick. Before 1891, he was listed at No. 97. Afterwards, it was No.103, although not long afterwards, No. 105a (a confectionery owned by A. C. Davidson) was added.

Steps to side of Queen’s Hotel – lighting issue now resolved

I mentioned last month that I had raised with the City Council the fact that the lighting on the steps that run down from the side of the Queen’s Hotel in Nethergate was not working.    
 
The council had promised an inspection and necessary repairs.
 
I am pleased to advise that I have since been updated as follows :
 
“(The City Council) undertook remedial works to the electrics serving the stair lighting. They are now operational.”

Steps to side of Queen’s Hotel – lighting issue

Some time ago, I raised with the City Council the fact that the lighting on the steps that run down from the side of the Queen’s Hotel in Nethergate is not working.  
 
The City Council has discussed the matter with the hotel who are sure that this is a local authority matter and the City Council’s Head of Property has now advised me as follows :
 
“I have instructed that an inspection of the lighting is undertaken with a view to identifying where the fault lies. 
 
If no major works are involved with repair the lighting I would intend to have this Council carry out the remedial works.”

Nethergate – Marketgait to South Tay Street

I recently queried why the promised road resurfacing on Nethergate – Marketgait to South Tay Street – has yet to be carried out.  
 
The City Council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership has advised me as follows :
 
“The section of Nethergate between Marketgait and South Tay St was deferred to 2015/16 due to uncertainty over Scottish Water mains replacement proposals.   
 
Currently Scottish Water has not provided a detailed programme with timescales as to their proposals therefore I am unable to provide a timescale as to when our resurfacing works will be carried out, other than to follow Scottish Waters works.  
 
This road is regularly inspected as part of the formal regime … and monitored for actionable defects which require safety repairs.”

Road condition – Nethergate and Perth Road

Having recently received complaints about the state of the roadway of Nethergate east of the Queen’s Hotel and Perth Road west of Roseangle, I contacted the City Council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership regarding this.
 
I was advised :

The carriageway in Perth Road between South Tay St and Roseangle was resurfaced last year, ie past Queen’s Hotel.

This year between South Tay St and the Marketgait is proposed for resurfacing in September but may be delayed as Scottish Water have advised they are currently investigating the condition of their mains in this area and dependant on outcome may be carrying out some excavation works. 

Currently it is proposed to resurface Perth Road between Roseangle and Hawkhill in 2015/16 although the programme will be subject to review in advance of issue in Spring 2015 as all carriageways throughout the city are currently being condition assessed which will affect priorities.  

In addition it is proposed to resurface Perth Road, between Blackness Ave and Seymour St later this year.  The next section between Seymour St and West Park Road is proposed for 2016/17 just before the new Harris school is opened.

The City Council has now published the following Public Notice with regard to Nethergate :
 
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 carriageway resurfacing works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from West Marketgait to South Tay Street), Dundee.
 
This notice comes into effect on Monday 22 September 2014 for 5 working days.
 
Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.   Limited access will be maintained for deliveries etc.
 
Alternative routes for vehicles will be available via West Marketgait / Hawkhill / Perth Road / Nethergate and reverse.
 
For further information contact 433082.
 
Director of City Development

Photopolis : Nethergate

This photograph of the north side of Dundee’s Nethergate at the junction with Tay Street Lane dates from after 1891, after which point numbers in that section were altered after extensive building works. The image may date from shortly afterwards.
 
As there are no names on any of the shops, it is difficult to date the picture with any greater accuracy. The low building at the righthand side (and east) housed the galleries of J. Gonnella & Co., a family of Italian sculptors, several of them consuls.
 
The corner establishment was the wine and spirits business belonging to Peter Fenwick. Before 1891, he was listed at No. 97. Afterwards, it was No.103, although not long afterwards, No. 105a (a confectionery owned by A. C. Davidson) was added.

Works on Nethergate tomorrow

I have been advised by the City Council:
 
“… there will be off-peak traffic control next Thursday 21 November to install traffic loops on Nethergate adjacent to Park Place which is a late addition to the Road Report on the web.    These are electrical induction loops cut into the top surface of the road which pick up passing vehicles.   There are 4 loops to cover the two lanes which as well as counting vehicles allow for vehicles to be classified according to type.
While these works are within the Embargo period the dates were dictated by Contractor availability and given location and works being carried out off-peak should have minimal impact on the area.”

Daft name for West End roundabout …

As reported in last night’s “Evening Telegraph“, I have criticised the council’s naming of a roundabout “Invergowrie Roundabout” despite the fact that the roundabout is nearly a mile from Invergowrie.
 
As part of the sponsorship of roundabouts in the city, the roundabout at the south end of Ninewells Avenue at its junction with Perth Road has been named “Invergowrie Roundabout.”   It has been sponsored by leading local company WL Gore.
 
I am all in favour of sponsorship of Dundee’s roundabouts as this brings in income to keep them in a well-maintained condition but the name of this roundabout is plain daft and misleading.  It is the best part of a mile east of the council boundary with Invergowrie and the name can only serve to confuse visitors.
 
I suspect the rationale was that the roundabout is near Invergowrie Drive, Dundee, but that street does not join this roundabout.    ‘Clayhills Roundabout’ would have made far more appropriate name – it is very close to Clayhills Grove and Clayhills Drive.   
 
I have asked the council to change the name to something more appropriate.

Bus timetable information – Perth Road and Nethergate

IBIS Interactive Unit
A constituent contacted me recently about the electronic bus timetable information (IBIS Interactive Unit) in Nethergate opposite Park Place and audio facility on Perth Road near Grosvenor Road as follows:
 
“I happened to try the “audio” facility at the eastbound (north side of Perth Road) stop at the Harris site the other day.  It isn’t working properly.  It belts out a response at loud volume, but that’s maybe the problem: there must be “feedback” within the system, or some sound imbalance, because it’s quite impossible to understand what’s being said: the words are drowned out by the general noise.  So passengers with poor eyesight get no information.
Also, it’s a great pity (in my view anyway) that the only timing information now available on-screen here and at Queen’s Hotel is the “buses due in next hour” times.  All very useful, but what happened to the actual timetables which you used to be able to call up on screen?  Not there any more.  It would be useful to have them (I needed to check one recently, for use on a return journey later in the day) – I had to go to the office and get the timetables on the web.  No doubt I could have walked to the next stop and got them.  But why withdraw the info from the actual stop?”
 
Having contacted the transportation team at the City Council regarding this, I have now received the following helpful response:
 
“I reported the IBIS unit faults as soon as you informed us and i believe they are now fixed.  
We discussed the IBIS units at length in our quarterly progress meeting with VIX ACIS, where VIX informed us that tests have been carried out on the IBIS unit down south to try and eliminate all of the issues.
These tests have been successful and the improvements will be rolled out to our IBIS units shortly.
In the meantime, if the IBIS units in situ fail at all, please do not hesitate to contact us, and I will log the fault and make sure they are repaired asap.”

Perth Road/Nethergate road resurfacing

Further to the current roadworks on Perth Road east of Roseangle and Nethergate west of South Tay Street (see photo right), I have received the following update from the Roads Maintenance Partnership this morning:
 
“Works are still pretty well on programme although we suffered a slight delay yesterday and could not complete the resurfacing of the Roseangle junction as planned due to the number of vehicles requiring access which was far greater than anticipated.
 
Surfacing works are programmed to complete tomorrow with road markings being applied on Saturday although currently the weather forecast is not encouraging and therefore rain may delays completion of the works till Monday.”

Bus changes during road works

With the commencement of road works in Nethergate and the very east part of Perth Road up to Roseangle started today, I have had constituents ask about the effect on bus services 204 and 204a and also the Friendly Bus Sheltered Shopping Service that goes to Paton’s Lane Sheltered Housing each Tuesday.
 
The City Council has now advised me as follows :
 
204/204a Service
 
“Service 204/204A will still use Magdalen Yard Road when Nethregate works are in operation.
Members of public should be aware that the buses on Magdalen Yard Road will all travel in an Easterly direction, both travelling towards City Centre and Ninewells Hospital.
Towards Ninewells Hospital the service will travel along Hawkhill to Windsor Street down Windsor Street, along Magdalen Yard Road, turn left at top on Perth Road to Hyndford Street then follow normal route to Ninewells Hospital
Towards Dundee City Centre, the service will operate from Hyndford Street, then Windsor Street, Magdalen Yard Road, turn left at top onto Perth Road then turn right onto Hawkhill at Blackness Library, into Dundee City.
  
These diversions are in operation from today until Friday.
From Monday 12 August only services travelling towards Ninewells Hospital will use the diversion route.  Eastbound traffic towards Dundee City will not be affected.”
 
Friendly Bus Service
 
“(The council) …met with Stragecoach last week to discuss the friendly bus.   They have agreed that the service will run as normally, although may be running late at times.”

Temporary Traffic Order – Nethergate and Perth Road

From the City Council :
 
Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating carriageway resurfacing works.  The Order is expected to be in force for three weeks from 5th August 2013.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
 
The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily (1) all vehicular traffic in Nethergate from South Tay Street to Park Place and (2) all westbound vehicular traffic in Nethergate and Perth Road from Park Place to Roseangle.
 
Pedestrians will be unaffected by these works.  It is anticipated that Phase 1 will be complete within one week and Phase 2 will commence thereafter.
 
An alternative route will be available via (1) West Marketgait, Hawkhill, Perth Road and reverse and (2) West Marketgait, Hawkhill and Perth Road.
 
Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee  DD1 1LS, no later than five working days prior to the commencement date.  If you have any queries please contact the City Council on 433082.

Assault on pensioner condemned

As reported in today’s Courier, I have condemned the assault on a 66 year old pensioner in the Nethergate early yesterday.

I am shocked that this man has been attacked in the Nethergate and I do hope he is making a full and speedy recovery from what must have been a frightening experience.    

It is vitally important that the culprit is caught as soon as possible and I urge anyone who was in the vicinity of the Nether Inn around the time to contact the police if they saw anything suspicious.  Tayside Police can be contacted on 0300 111 2222 or at mail@tayside.pnn.police.uk.

Touch Screen Bus Information – Nethergate


A number of residents have contacted me about the new touch-screen bus information facility at the bus stop west of the Queen’s Hotel.    The comments by one constituent highlights the issues faced by users of what should be a welcome addition to public transport information services :

“The touch-screen bus info one strikes me as something which may look great and logical to someone indoors at a desk, but actually using it on site is another matter – it took me over 5 minutes to check through services (timing myself to see).

As far as I can see the only advantages over a “paper version” are a spoken facility, better backlighting, and easier to update centrally without changing sheets – but if the information can’t be easily accessed in the first place, that’s not much use.  Please, let this be improved (and working properly) before it is rolled out more generally.”

Having used the facility myself, I agree that getting to the detail of a particular service is convoluted and not user-friendly and there’s a clear issue about reliability (the system is ‘out of order’ at times).

I contacted the City Council’s Head of Transportation about this matter, who has responded as follows :

“These units are on trial in Dundee.  We are giving them a soft launch and will be undertaking customer perception testing.  I agree that the units have not been 100% reliable as I have seen them (and reported them) out of action, in particular at Queens Hotel stop.  But this is a trial and this is where we discover issues not known or expected.
 
I suspect that I-Phone / Android / Smartphone technology is overtaking the need for this type of unit – with a paper timetable giving a better and speedier reassurance than the need to touch screen. 

I would not be supportive of any system that requires more data provision.  All our systems that we have worked hard to build up are based on the enter once use many times principles.”

Nethergate litter problem

I have received residents’ complaints about the amount of litter and other rubbish left late at night on Fridays and Saturdays in particular in Nethergate, near South Tay Street.

The photo (right) is the situation first thing Sunday morning.    I have brought the matter to the attention of the Environment Department of Dundee City Council, at residents’ requests.