Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL – WEEKLY ROAD REPORT
REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2018

Riverside Drive at Dundee Railway Station – eastbound nearside lane closure for 2 weeks for footway works.

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – closed from Monday 19 February for up to 10 days for footway and tree works.

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure from Monday 19 February for 2 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Riverside Drive (at Botanic Garden) – off peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights for one week for street lighting duct installation works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Hendersons Wynd (from Douglas Street for a distance of 50m) – closed on Tuesday 13 March for Scottish Water repair works.


Bus diversions during Glamis Road closure – an update #dundeewestend

Further to my update last Wednesday about bus diversions during the temporary closure of Glamis Road between the rounadbouts with Blackness Road and Dickson Avenue, the City Council has now advised of an amendment to this to accommodate access to Royal Victoria Hospital.

Here’s the council’s update :

“The Roads Maintenance Partnership has taken the decision to allow bus services X7/8 and 204 to access Royal Victoria Hospital.

Diversions for services X7/8 and 204 are now complicated and therefore not described in detail but in simple terms passengers normally boarding at Glamis Road can use Royal Victoria Hospital as a boarding point.

Due to the works bus services cannot stop on Glamis Road.

I think the vast majority of passengers will use the option of catching buses on Blackness Road or Ninewells Avenue.”

New public notice :


Disused office block at Dundee Technology Park – an update

As residents know, I have on many occasions expressed concern over the deteriorating state of an empty prominent office block in Luna Place in the Technology Park that sits beside the Riverside Avenue Ambassador Route, a key entry road into Dundee, with many thousands of vehicles passing every day.

The office block has lain empty for some time and it is understood the owner lives in Ireland.    Late last year, with planning authority, new fencing was erected round the site which I felt was a positive sign, but thereafter there had been poor workmanship including trenches around the site and also significant vandalism.

I took this up with planning officers at the council and the selling agents who are local and I asked them to advise the owner to take steps to rectify the situation and properly restore the building.      

The council’s Planning Enforcement Officer advised me in November 2017 as follows :

“(The owner has) confirmed the trenches outside were dug to allow electricity providers to put in cables.  However when they arrived on site they were unable to supply the required amount of power needed for the building.     Work then come to a standstill.     The transformers have been paid for last week but it takes 6 -8 weeks to get on site.  When the electricity providers arrive on site, the other workmen will also start on site to enable to building to be leased again.  The owner hopes the work will be completed by the end of January 2018.”

However, that works has not happened by the end of January and I therefore asked the council’s Planning Enforcement Officer to intervene.     She updated me last week as follows :

“I managed to get hold of the owner today.  He has been chasing Scottish Electric but the transformers still haven’t arrived.  The owner has chased the manufacturers.  Once the transformers arrive they will be given a two week window for when the work will commence on site.  I advised the owner to let me know when he receives the two week time slot and I will keep you updated.”

The deterioration of this building is very obvious on such a prominent site.   It is a terrible advertisement when visitors enter the city, so removing the eyesore as soon as possible is vital.


Getting things done – street drains on Perth Road #dundeewestend

I have received complaints about blocked street drains on Perth Road west of Harris Academy.

As one constituent recently said :

“… the drain grating at bus stop on Perth Road (north side) just east of Arnhall Drive is completely blocked so water backs up in the roadway when it rains heavily.   Last time I checked most of the gratings between there and West Park Road were also part/all blocked by gunge.”

I raised this with the council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership and have been advised :

“The Road Maintenance Partnership inspector has asked the gully machine to inspect and clear as required.”


Sheltered Housing Shoppers’ Bus #dundeewestend

The City Council now operates the sheltered housing shoppers’ bus service that takes residents direct from their sheltered housing complex to a supermarket and then back to the complex after around an hour for shopping.    

The West End routes are as follows :

Tuesday Timetable :

Tullideph Place 1150
Logie Avenue/Gardens 1205
TESCO RIVERSIDE – arrive 1225
TESCO RIVERSIDE – depart 1325

Thursday Timetable :

Corso Street 1000
Pennycook Lane 1005
Muirlands 1010
Patons Lane 1015
TESCO RIVERSIDE – arrive 1015
TESCO RIVERSIDE – depart 1125

I have requested that the Morven Terrace Sheltered Housing is included in future (I’ve discussed this previously with the tenants) and have been advised by the council’s Travel Care Officer that :

“I have spoken with the driver and I think there is time to accommodate a pick up at Morven Terrace on Tuesday – around midday. The bus will take the shoppers to Tesco Riverside.     …  we will count the number of passengers travelling from Tullideph Place and Logie Avenue/Gardens to ensure there is sufficient space for any additional passengers from Morven Terrace. Once I have an answer I will liaise with the warden.”