Dispute Over Abrupt Changes to School Crossing Patrol on Forthill Road

 

Last week a Crossing Patroller was abruptly removed from her stance crossing school children over Forthill Road close to its junction with Balgillo Road. The well regarded Lollipop Lady had an outstanding record of crossing children at this road junction, over Forthill Road as well as Balgillo Road. At her post for close to twenty years, a single complaint led to her being moved to a crossing point at another school and the crossing of Forthill Road hastily removed as a crossing point. 

The staff of Tayside Contracts, who supply and manage this service for the Council should have red faces. They claim that the crossing over Forthill Road was not an official crossing point but apparently did not notice the dual crossing in practice when they undertook a comprehensive risk assessment and review of every school crossing control point in the city before they took over the contract in 2016?

Angela Lyall, one of the parents whose children's routes to school is affected has been gathering signatures to have the well loved Crossing Patroller reinstated to her crossing control point and the crossing over Forthill Road reinstated. She and seven other parents have gathered more than 300 hundred signatures. It seems the Crossing Patroller is paying for the lapses in supervision by others. The dedication of our crossing patrollers is impressive in return for earning a little over the minimum wage and turning out whatever the weather week in week out.

I strongly requested a meeting about this which will be taking place at Forthill Primary School this morning. If Tayside Contracts want to remove a crossing patrol point, there is an agreed consultative procedure and they are not following it. The continuing safety of our children is paramount. 

If there isn't reasonable progress at the meeting tomorrow, I will refer this to the next meeting of Children and Families' Service Committee.

Shortage of School Crossing Patrollers for our Pupils at Barnhill Primary School

There is currently a shortage of School Crossing Patrollers for pupils attending Barnhill Primary School. 

I was particularly concerned to hear on Thursday that the crossing point for children over Balgillo Road close to the junction with Falkland Crescent is currently unstaffed.  This is compounded by road safety issues in Falkland Crescent caused by house building opposite the front entrance to the school.

Balgillo Road is a very busy spine road and a bus route. Unfortunately it seems many drivers ignore the 30 mph speed limit. I would appeal to all road users to take extra care in the vicinity of Barnhill Primary School especially during this time when some crossing points are not staffed. I was reassured that all parents and carers have received a letter to warn them about the absence of a Patroller at this particular crossing point.

Barnhill Primary School has a good record of children walking or cycling to school. We don't want to undermine that because of a shortage of Lollipop men and women. I have been informed that interviews are already scheduled for the coming week with a view to making further appointments of Lollipop men and women. Let's hope that these gaps in service can be covered soon.

Finally, I written to the Education Department to ask again about progress with my previous proposal to explore combining the role of School Crossing Patroller with other paid duties in and around our schools to make this a more attractive part time job.

Commitment to New Bus Shelter in Balgillo Road

Constituents in Balgillo Road have complained to me about the lack of a bus shelter at the stop beside the corner shop close to the junction with Forthill Road. They would like some protection from the wind and rain while they wait for a bus. They would also appreciate access to 'real time' information about the upcoming buses on the route.

I first passed on these concerns and requests in 2011 just after the bus timetables and routes were altered. At that time, I was informed then that decisions to move bus shelters or install additional ones would be taken once things had settled down on the new routes. 

Following renewed representations from constituents, I approached the Transportation Department again at the end of last month. This time there was a thumbs up; an agreement that a new Bus Shelter would be provided. 

This is positive news for my constituents who were hopeful, when informed of this, that the installation of 'their' bus shelter will be sooner rather than later.

Condemnation of Repeated Damage to Bus Shelter on Balgillo Road

I was appalled to be informed that that another glass panel had been smashed on the Bus Shelter on Balgillo Road near the junction with Elcho Drive on Wednesday. Infuriatingly, this was only the day after a contractor had replaced four panels at the same Bus Shelter. Since August this makes three cases of broken glass panels at this bus shelter. 

I am sure residents will join me in condemning this series of deliberate acts of criminal damage which is wasting public money. It is also diverting council cash from funding transport improvements such as the demand for a bus shelter further up Balgillo Road at the stop close to the junction with Marlee Road.

I appeal to residents to keep an eye out for and to report any suspicious behaviour to the Police. I think the residents who live on the north side of Elie Avenue are probably in the best position to keep a watchful eye out as their homes face the Balgillo Road and this bus shelter; so let's have some neighbourhood watch!

Balgillo Road East Potholes - Council Action Required

Residents in Balgillo have complained to me about the poholes on Balgillo Road East. 

Balgillo Road East is the busy road that runs between Balgillo Road and the main A92 Arbroath Road. It runs down the western side of the Sandy Park.

From my observations the potholes are worst on the stretch of the road from its junction with Balgillo Road going north as far as the junction with Rossie Avenue. 

Potholes are more than a nuisance to drivers who experience a bumpy ride and worry about their suspension; they can be a real danger especially to cyclists and other road users with two wheels.

At this specific location, many cyclists are crossing the road while using the Dundee Green Circular route for part of their journey.

I have written to the Transportation Department to request an inspection of this stretch of road and early action to fill in these potholes. 

Residents Overlooked by Snow Clearing Suffer Vandalism to Their Cars

Residents in Carbane Drive in the Ferry have found their patience severely tested over the last week. They have found it almost impossible to drive in or out of their cul-de-sac because of accumulated snow and ice and an absence of a grit bin. On Sunday morning, they were still waiting for a snow plough to come down Wemyss Gardens and clear their way out to Balgillo Road. As a result, some residents had taken to parking their cars overnight on Balgillo Road. On Sunday morning, these residents were very annoyed to find that cars parked on Balgillo Road had been vandalised with wiper blades and aerials broken off.

One of the residents of Carbane Drive said,
"I am sure you can understand my frustration and anger - if grit had been delivered to the bottom as well as the top of the hill my car would have been safe and I would not be out of pocket. I would have been cheaper buying the grit myself rather than paying repairs. Unless of course I can deduct the cost of the repairs from a future council tax bill?"

Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:
"The perpetrators of this vandalism are mean and mindless. That residents vehicles became vulnerable to attack because of a lack of a grit bin and snow clearing near their owners' homes leads to questions about why it took so long for the Council to clear access to Carbane Drive. Thankfully, I understand that Carnbane Drive was gritted on Sunday afternoon. I shall expect that the request I made last week for the provision of an additional grit bin for Carbane Drive is now actioned so that these residents can help themselves to keep traffic moving in and out of their road when it snows again."