Fort Street Bridge Damage - Follow Up from Council

Earlier this month, I reported the fact that holes had developed in the some of the panels on the parapet of the Fort Street rail bridge. It also looked as though some of the panels had been pushed or kicked in.  

I was unsure whether these holes represented a potential danger to the public especially young children, but I could see that they were unsightly. 

I am a Councillor, not an engineer. I therefore I err on the side of caution and refer things like this to experts in the City Engineers. 

I have received a very helpful and courteous email following a site inspection by one of our engineers. They wrote:

"Thanks you for the information on the above bridge. The defects to the inside face of the parapets have been picked up during an inspection and an order has been issued to deal with it. I am currently waiting on the date for the work to be carried out. It is intended to carry out repairs to all the panels which are damaged or showing signs of damage."

I think the message to public should be clear: Get it sorted get it reported!

Replacement of Anton Drive Retaining Wall Approved

On Monday night 10 December, at the Housing Committee, the Committee approved a £94,144 tender for the replacement of the retaining wall in Anton Drive.

This is what I said at Committee in support of this investment:

"Convener, I welcome this tender for £94,144 for the replacement of the retaining wall at Anton Drive in The Ferry. Residents will be able to rest easier in their beds when they know that the retaining wall on the other side of their Street has been made safe. Since the City Engineer declared that the wall was in danger of collapse in early July, following a period of sustained heavy rainfall, residents have been nervous about living close to the wall and the steeply rising land behind it.

I hope they can look forward to a speedy build period and an end to a section of their road partitioned off by security fencing that was erected as a precautionary measure."

I was advised that the work would be started before the end of January and should be completed in three weeks. The Director of Housing agreed to keep residents informed about the definite start date for the building work and the required street closure during the contract period. As the new wall would partly use space previously available for informal car parking, the Director also agreed to explore alternative locations for replacement car parking spaces in the vicinity.

Broughty Station Improvements - New Access to Down Platform Open

The new access to the 'down' Platform (for trains to Dundee) at Broughty Ferry Station was opened recently. This replaces the previous historic access, which will now form part of the restaurant premises under conversion adjacent to the station platform.


While this development is welcomed, I hope the link between the pavement on the roadside and the new pathway to the platform will be improved. The new tarmac infill (see picture) and the differences in levels are a bit like a hole on a crazy golf course. I hope this is a temporary job and a more elegant design solution will be engineered. This should meet the new access standards for people with mobility difficulties as well as look more pleasing.

I have written to the City Engineer to demand a better solution to the connection between the pavement (City Council's responsibility) and the Platform (Scotrail's responsibility).