Safety Issues on Fort Street Bridge Reported

Earlier this week I alerted the City Engineer to the holes that have appeared in the infill panels on the east side of the Fort Street bridge over the railway. Whether this is a Council or NetworkRail responsibility I think it needs to be tackled sooner rather than later.

Signs of damage and deterioration like this, either from wear and tear or vandalism need attention before they become a more expensive eyesore.

Unfortunately minor damage like this, if not attended to, becomes a target for further vandalism.

Commenting on Reports Broughty Ferry Level Crossing has Highest Number of Recorded Offences

Picture copyright Dundee Courier
Click on image to enlarge

I am alarmed to hear that statistics revealed by British Transport Police show that the Broughty Ferry Level Crossing has the highest number of recorded offences in Scotland. I understand that most of these offences have arisen because drivers and pedestrians have been ignoring the flashing warning lights and dodging the barriers at the Gray Street Level Crossing. This is reckless and endangers life and limb of the pedestrians and drivers involved and of course rail passengers, railway staff as well as other road users.

British Transport Police have increased their number of mobile vans with CCTV and I have previously welcomed their more intensive surveillance of our level crossing.  I had hoped that that more visits by the mobile monitoring units would eventually ensure more compliance with the Highway Code and safety first.

In the interests of health and safety at the level crossing I support zero tolerance of the kinds of incidents that have been recorded of folk trying to 'beat the crossing barriers' as they fall.

I am concerned that continuing irresponsible and careless behaviour by drivers and pedestrians may lead Network Rail to apply to close the level crossing. What might solve their concerns would have serious consequences for the future of central Broughty Ferry. Bearing in mind that all the other entry points to our central area are over bridges or under the railway at St Vincent Street, if the level crossing were closed it would be more difficult to drive into and out of our shopping centre. As a result, trading conditions for shops and services might become even more challenging.

So I hope that reckless drivers and pedestrians should take heed of the warnings from British Transport Police about the dangers of trying to beat the barrier. This is not only for the sake of their own safety and others whose life and limb is put at risk but also for retaining the historic public access over the railway at the level crossing.

Possibility of Hourly Train Services From Broughty Ferry in New Rail Frachise

I am pleased to hear that regional transport body TACTRAN has recently urged the companies bidding for the new SCOTRAIL franchise for an hourly train service to Glasgow that serves Broughty Ferry. This is supported by TACTRAN's Tay Valley Transport Study of a few years ago and the uplift in passenger numbers since First ScotRail began offering a limited stopping service at our station.


I have called for this stopping service to be one of the conditions in the specification for the new franchise but it seems that it will still be down to the special pleading of our regional transport body if this is to be achieved.


While not directly a franchise issue, there is a remaining important equality issue at the station which Network Rail need to address. Put simply the platforms are set too low for modern trains and it's a very significant step up to board the train and a big drop down when you are alighting. To their credit FirstScotrail have tried to address this with sets of wooden steps placed on the platforms but this was always a bit improvised and doesn't work when trains are not of a consistent length. There were also concerns about the the back draft from the East Coast Mainline trains going through the station at speeds close to 100mph and the steps being blown onto the track. I understand that this issue has been resolved in other stations by constructing a raised section of platform.

Temporary Road Closure in Gray Street Broughty Ferry from 11pm 22 July - 6am 24 July 2013

PUBLIC NOTICE

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 Network Rail maintenance works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Gray Street (from Queen Street to Brook Street), Broughty Ferry.

This notice comes into effect on Monday 22 July 2013 at 11pm until Wednesday 24 July at 6am.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Brook Street / St Vincent Street / Queen Street.

For further information contact (01382) 433168.

Mike P Galloway
Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Overnight Closure of Gray Street Level Crossing From 11pm Sat 18 - 9am Sunday 19 May

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 Network Rail inspection works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Gray Street (from Queen Street to Brook Street), Broughty Ferry.

This notice comes into effect on Saturday 18 May 2013 at 11pm until Sunday 19 May at 9am.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Brook Street / St Vincent Street / Queen Street.

For further information contact (01382) 433168.

 

Mike P Galloway

Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

Call for Network Rail to Better Maintain Broughty Bridges

Last autumn, I highlighted the loose heavy stone at the Brook Street end of the parapet of the Fort Street humpback bridge over the railway. It still remains loose and swivels round and I continue to be concerned that it might fall and injure an unsuspecting passer by. Unfortunately, the City Engineer did not agree with my judgement and decided it did not present a danger to the public.

Yesterday in the bright spring like sunshine, I noticed how shabby the parapet of the Church Street bridge has become. It's rusty and badly in need of some corrosion treatment and a lick of paint.

Whle neither of these issues is an emergency, I think it's important to keep on top of the cyclical maintenance of these bridges and thereby protect the routes into and out of central Broughty Ferry. A neater finish should also support The Ferry as it competes for a higher level of award from Keep Scotland Beautiful this year. 

Come on Network Rail, you surely can do better than this?

Call for More Frequent Visits to Broughty Ferry Level Crossing by British Transport Police Camera Enforcement Van

Network Rail and British Transport Police have recently increased their number of mobile vans with CCTV. I hope this means that we an expect more of their visits to the Gray Street level crossing in Broughty Ferry. This should be good for our community in two ways.

Primarily, I am very concerned to hear continuing reports of drivers and pedestrians ignoring the flashing warning lights and dodging the barriers at the Level Crossing. This is reckless and endangers life and limb. I therefore hope that more visits by the mobile monitoring units will ensure more compliance with the Highway Code and safety first.

Secondly, I am concerned that if there is a serious incident at the crossing, Network Rail might use that tragedy as a pretext to close the level crossing. But what might solve their safety problems would have serious consequences for the future of central Broughty Ferry. Bearing in mind that all the other entry points to our central area are over bridges or under the railway at St Vincent Street, if the level crossing were closed it would be more difficult to drive into and out of our shopping centre. As a result, trading conditions for shops and services might become even more challenging.

So I hope that reckless drivers and pedestrians should take heed of the warnings from British Transport Police about the dangers of trying to beat the barrier. This is not only for the sake of their own safety but also for retaining the historic public access over the railway at the level crossing.

I have written to British Transport Police to invite them to make more unannounced visits to Gray Street.

Disappointing News for Dundee and Broughty Ferry from Network Rail

Network Rail has just published its UK business plan for 2014 to 2019 which it has sent to to Rail Regulator for approval. 

The plan proposes to invest £4 billion over the five year period in Scotland on improving the rail infrastructure  such as track, bridges and new stations.

Priorities in Scotland, set by the Scottish Government, include electrifying the line between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and completing the Borders rail link.

Unfortunately this means that the extension of the electrification of the East Coast mainline from Edinburgh to Aberdeen does not appear as a priority in the plans for 2014-19. 

It is positive that the future of through trains has been secured on the London Kings Cross to Aberdeen East Coast mainline route by the ordering of replacement 'bi-mode trains' with underfloor diesel engines to operate on non-electrified routes.  But the lack of ambition in the electrification programme on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route is a disappointment. 

The future of rail services is an important practical issue for Dundee rail passengers. It is also a strategic issue for the City as we anticipate a significant  growth in tourists when the VandA opens in Dundee.

Railtrack Warning Should be Taken to Heart in Broughty Ferry

This is Railtrack's TV advert which aims to persuade people that they need to be as careful crossing railway tracks as they would be on a busy road.

Railtrack have recently spent £130 million to improve safety at crossings. They warn that 46 people have been killed on railway crossings in the past five years.

In the Ferry we have two level crossings. The one at Gray Street is for vehicles and pedestrians and has automatic barriers and warning lights and sounds. There is also the added safety feature of the pedestrian underpass. Despite all these safety features, this has not been without incident with drivers and pedestrians trying to beat the closing barriers and British Transport Police having to monitor the crossing.

Perhaps less well known is the level crossing at Grassy Beach which is much more like the crossing featured in the TV advert. There are no warning bells nor barriers just warning signs, and gates with a simple catch. Usually train drivers sound a warning as they approach but trains not due to stop in The Ferry can flash by at speeds up to 100 mph.

I therefore hope folk who use this crossing take note of the advert's important and sombre message.

Welcome Delay to Temporary Closure of Pedestrian Underpass on Gray Street

Pedestrian Underpass Temporary Closure Delayed

Late this afternoon, I was informed that Network Rail have agreed to delay the building works that require the pedestrian underpass on Gray Street to be closed for eighteen days from Monday 6 December. 


I welcome the postponement of this work until 9 January 2012. In the meantime Network Rail will carry out building works within the station buildings.

Broughty Traders will I think be relieved that the temporary closure of the underpass has been postponed until after Christmas and New Year trading. 


Network Rail are to be congratulated in responding positively to representations about this issue. 

Network Rail Begin Work to Repair Bridge Safety Barrier

Sparks fly in the early hours of Wednesday morning 28 October as contractors for Network Rail begin to repair the damaged steel safety barrier on the west side of the Dundee Road bridge over the Edinburgh - Aberdeen railway. The work will extend over four nights when trains are not running beneath the bridge and will involve using generators, welding plant, grinders and temporary lighting in order that a substantial section of the safety barrier can be replaced. Temporary traffic lights are in place to manage the single file traffic over the bridge while the work is undertaken. The damage to the safety barrier would appear to have been the result of a heavy impact, most likely from a vehicle. These comprehensive repairs follow joint publicity with Councillor Derek Scott on 3rd October which was published in the Evening Telegraph. Constituents that had identified this safety issue with Derek Scott and me will be relieved that the work is now being carried out. I am pleased that our persistence has paid off. Thank you to the Evening Telegraph for helping us to publicise this issue.

Come on Network Rail, you should do better than this!

A joint press statement with Councillor Derek Scott

Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:
"A constituent alerted me to the potential dangers to children of the flapping wire mesh attached to bridge railings on the Dundee Road bridge over the Railway. This has a low set of metal railings, with large gaps that are covered by mesh wiring. I have raised this with Planning & Transport in the City Council to no avail. On Thursday 1st October a large unsightly concrete, block was dumped on the bridge presumably to block access to the hole in the mesh fence. Unfortunately, as well as being unsightly, I think is itself a potential hazard making it easier for children to scramble up and fall onto the railway."

Councillor Derek Scott said
“I first contacted Network Rail about this issue on 20 July and I have sent a few reminders since then. After all these weeks on I’m disapointed to discover that the apparent solution has actually makes things much worse.

Not only is the fence still damaged but now the already narrow pavement on the busiest route into central Broughty Ferry has been made narrower and there is an unsightly lump of concrete detracting from the general appearance of the area.

Network Rail would have had to have used a heavy vehicle and a crane to lower the concrete into place, how much simpler and cheaper would it have been to have sent a repair man round with a new sheet of mesh fencing to cover the hole in the existing one?