Resurfacing of Shopping Centre Car Parks in The Ferry

Yesterday I went up to Sainsbury's supermarket for some shopping and couldn't help but notice that the car park was being resurfaced section by section. The lines for the parking bays were also being neatly repainted.

It reminded me that when new owners took over the Campfield Square shopping centre, they promised to undertake work to upgrade the car park which is rutted and the parking lines are badly worn. 

A constituent complained to me last week about the traffic direction arrows painted on the car park surface which are now so badly obscured. She has noticed that in the absence of clear signage, cars are being driven around the car park in a clockwise and anti clock wise direction and this is an increased hazard for pedestrians.

I have written to the management company in Glasgow to urge them to get on with upgrading their Campfield Square Shopping Centre Car Park.

A Day in the Life of Your Local Councillor

Tuesday 8 September 2015 was a day full of meetings and activities.

My working day began at about 09:30 at home reading and writing emails and making phone calls on behalf of constituents. On average I receive more than twenty emails a day about constituency and Council matters as well as letters and reports including papers for Council meetings.

At 11:15, I joined residents from Forthill sheltered housing on their annual estate walkabout with staff representatives from Housing, Environment, Roads, Tenant Participation and Communities. As we walked around the area we noted action points based on our observations and the complaints and comments made by residents who we met us at their gates and doors. At 12:25 I left to go to my next meeting which was in Dundee.

I picked up my post from my Council pigeonhole at my City Square Office and then walked over to Dundee House where i was due at 13:00 to join an interview panel for appointing a Head Teacher for St Joseph's Primary School. The vacancy arose following the death of Marion Myles, the very popular and effective Head Teacher. After a series of interviews, the panel selected a 'preferred candidate' who, following formalities such as references, should be confirmed publicly to Parents, Pupils and Staff in due course.

I arrived back home in time to take my dog Milli for a short walk, before going to Broughty Ferry Library for my weekly surgery. Two constituents came in and reported a recurring parking and road safety issue in their street. We discussed possible solutions and agreed actions I would take. This will need some follow up communications with the Transportation Department.

Back home at about 18:20 with time for a mug of tea and collecting my papers for the next meeting. At 19:00 I arrived at Staff Room in Grove Academy for the AGM and termly meeting of the Grove Academy Parent Council. Penny Lewis was re-elected as Chairperson together with other office bearers. The meeting received a detailed report from Head Teacher, Graham Hutton, which included reference to the very positive but provisional 2015 SQA examination results for Grove pupils, the international sporting achievements of pupils, the school trips under consideration for the 2015/16 session as well as changes in staffing.

Home again at 21:30 and time for a late supper with my wife Rowena.

Not every day contains such a full schedule of 'meetings' and everyday is different; that's what I find so interesting and absorbing about the office of City Councillor.

Road Safety Fears after Fourth Car Crash at the Same Location in Nursery Road

Last Saturday, a young driver lost control of their vehicle and demolished a brick built garden wall and a street light on Nursery Road. This was reported in the Courier on Monday and Tuesday.

It is very worrying that the car crossed the pavement which is well used by pedestrians and that this is the fourth time over seven years (13 February 2007, 23 December 2010, Christmas morning 2012, and 2 August 2014) that this same garden wall has been significantly damaged by the impact of a car crashing into it. Judged by the damage to the street light and the garden wall, a pedestrian would have been killed or severely injured by such an impact.

I have been contacted by the homeowner whose house fronts onto Campfield Road and whose garden boundary runs along the side of Nursery Road. He is very concerned that this is the fourth such incident and wants some road safety measures to reduce potential damage to life, limb and his property.

I have also been contacted by another resident whom I am sure speaks for many residents in the area:
"I don’t want to seem as though I am overreacting but the last accident took place at a time of day where anyone could be passing. I am in that area a lot and can see that a lot of people, especially parents of young children pass there to and from the shops and the local schools and don’t accept that it is right that the council will only do something when someone is injured as quoted by the house owner’s son in 'The Courier' "

I would also add that this stretch of footpath is well used by residents of the dispersed sheltered housing at Forthill Drive/Nursery Road/Anton Drive who walk or ride their mobility scooters to and from the Campfield Square shops.

I have asked the Head of Transportation on the City Council for a road safety asessment and proposals of measures that will reduce the potential risks to pedestrians at this point.

Public Open Space Improvements in Broughty Ferry

At the Environment Committee on Monday (11 November 2013), Councillors approved proposals to undertake Public Open Space Improvements (Report reference AN121-2013) at a number of locations. These had been developed by the Environment Department to enhance amenity whilst, at the same time, reduce the cost of long-term maintenance. Apparently, the proposed improvements would also help reduce concerns about health and safety.

In Broughty Ferry the following three schemes were included.

• Barnhill Housing/Strathmore Street/Nursery Road - refurbish shrub areas and landscape to grass, improving maintenance;
• Queen Street/Orchar Park/Inchkeith Avenue - regenerate hedging and rose beds, replace with new plantings and
• Castle Green/Windmill Gardens - redesign and plant new flower beds.

At the meeting I welcomed these three improvements but queried why there were no plans included to cover the triangular area of public open space at the junction of the coastal pathway and Douglas Terrace. Part of this area had been damaged by successive contractors who had set up a temporary compound for building materials and equipment on this ground. I was assured at the meeting that this was to be attended to. On Tuesday I received an email confirming that the contractors who had been working there were being held to reinstate the flower bed and grass. While this commitment was also welcome, I have also asked for a redesign of this area because the rockery is crumbling, the other flower bed is overgrown with weeds and furthermore the corner by teh road has been become muddy and ill defined.

Overhanging Shrubs Obstructing Pavement in Nursery Road

Residents living in the sheltered housing in Forthill Drive complained earlier this week about the shrubs overhanging the Nursery Road pavements which many of them walk along on their way to the shops at Campfield Square. Since the residents' meeting on Monday, I have been out with my camera and sent a photograph to staff at the Environment Department.

It is clearly a seasonal issue as screening shrubs put on growth which extends over boundary walls and fences. On the north side of Nursery Road, I have noticed that many of the properties with overhanging shrubs have their entrances on Morlich Gardens and Lochalsh Street that run in parallel with Nursery Road. In these circumstances the householders may easily miss noticing that their shrubs are obstructing the pavement beyond the boundaries of the properties.

I have reported this to the Environment Department and asked them to contact the householders concerned to ask them to cut back the offending shrubs.

United with Labour Campaigning in The Ferry

United with Labour Campaigning in Forthill Drive

Yesterday, United with Labour was campaigning in The Ferry. 

Jim McGovern MP, Cllr Richard McCreadie, Cllr Norma McGovern and I were on the doorsteps in Forthill Drive and Nursery Road. We were delivering Scottish Labour's case for keeping Scotland within the UK.

There was lively interest in the forthcoming referendum and many declarations of support for Scotland not seeking separation from the other UK nations.

Responses From The Council to Broughty Ferry Issues: Some Positive News

Flowerbed weeded at Douglas Terrace open space
and re-seeded area the near the road
Click on image to enlarge

Over the four weeks, I have reported a number of environmental issues that had been raised with me by constituents. Many have had a satisfactory outcome while others are progressing towards a solution.

For example, I reported to the Environment Department attention was required at the triangle of open space at the end of Douglas Terrace. Part of this area had been used as a site compound by the contractor when they worked on the upgrading of the adjacent coastal pathway. As a first step, the flower beds have been weeded and the rutted 'grass' area re-surfaced and re-seeded.

At the end of May, two residents from dispersed sheltered housing in Anton Drive and Nursery Road asked me to request the removal of a steel container. This had apparently been left by the Council contractor that had been working on the kitchen and bathroom replacements in their houses. The residents wanted this shifted as the work had been finished for some time. Several days later the Housing Department arranged for the container to be uplifted.

On Wednesday this week, I reported a large patch of giant hogweed on the embankment next to a lay by on the eastbound stretch of the A92 between the East Balgillo Road and Panmurefield roundabouts. On Thursday the area was sprayed by the Council.

Last month, along with the Community Council, I commented on the very poor state of the fencing on the dunes beside the The Esplanade. This picket fencing had previously been put in to help stabilise the dunes and funnel members of the public to a few well demarcated crossing points onto the beach. Following storm force winds the fencing had been broken and the crossing points buried under accumulations of sand. I asked for a solution but none is yet forthcoming. As a constituent said to me this week, what are those scrappy bits of fencing doing?  I have written again to the Environment Department.

Forthill Residents Want Ugly Container to be Removed From Their Open Space

On Saturday morning, two residents from dispersed sheltered housing in Anton Drive and Nursery Road asked me to request the removal of a steel container. This had apparently been left by the Council contractor that had been working on the kitchen and bathroom replacements in their houses.

Now that the upgrading work has been completed, the residents want to know why they should have to put up with this ugly steel container cluttering the open plan grassed area close to their homes. They also point out that the container has become a target for graffiti.

I have joined the residents in calling 'times up' on the container. I have passed on their request to the Housing Department and informed the Community Wardens about the graffiti.

Update on Bus Diversions in Broughty Ferry until Last Bus on Sunday 31 March 2013

Diversion route Strathtay Buses 73, 75, 78 and 79 

Tues 19 - Sun 31 March 2013
Click on map to enlarge

I have been advised by the Council that the next phase of the major road works in Queen Street in The Ferry will begin on Tuesday morning 19 March. 

In this phase, running between Fort Street and St Vincent Street, the lane driving westwards towards Dundee will be closed. 

Starting on Tuesday 19 March and running until Sunday evening 31 March 2013 Strathtay Bus Services 73, 75, 78 and 79 heading towards Dundee will be diverted - see map above. Instead of their coming along Queen Street, they will be diverted up Abertay Street; Nursery Road, Forthill Road, Fort Street and thereafter back down to the stop close to the Post Office Bar and the standard route towards Dundee. There will be an additional temporary bus stop on Dalhousie Road (south side) close to the junction with Shiell Street. This is marked on the map above.

In effect there will be no buses picking up or dropping off on Monifieth Road/Queen Street that are heading towards Dundee between Abertay Street and Fort Street. This will not affect the 73, 75, 78 and 79  bus services running in the opposite direction towards Monifieth.

On Monday evening 18 March 2013 the road works on Queen Street between the junctions on Claypotts Road and Fort Street will be completed. As a result the temporary one way system on this stretch of road will no longer be needed. This means that the No5 bus that has been diverted on its return journey from Barnhill will revert to its standard route from first bus on Monday morning 19 March. 

While these temporary road closures and bus diversions are inconvenient, residents I am sure accept that they are necessary so that the main electricity supply cable to central Broughty Ferry can be upgraded.

Council Organises Heating, Kitchen and Bathroom Upgrades for Fifteen Homes in Broughty Ferry

The Housing Department are organising a contract for Heating, Kitchen and Bathroom improvements in Broughty Ferry. Fifteen homes in Fort Street, Anton Drive, Nursery Road and King Street are part of this phase of work.

The contractor will be McGill Electrical and work is targeted to commence in December 2012 and complete in January 2013.

All of the tenants have now been visited by Housing staff to discuss the works and any arrangements which may be necessary to allow the improvements to be carried out. Meantime arrangements have been made lo provide a site display container which all tenants are welcome to come along and visit. The container is laid out with a display kitchen and bathroom allowing
tenants to see the different units, worktops, doors and handles available. At this time, The Project Team to answer any individual questions.

The display container will be located In Anton Drive next to the lock-up garages. 

While the tenants concerned are looking forward to their replacement kitchen and bathrooms and upgraded heating systems, I have written to the Housing Department to ask for some reassurances about the management of the contract. My concerns arise because many of the tenants are elderly and the contract period is programmed to be either side of Christmas and New Year. 

Frankly, If I could avoid it, I wouldn't choose to have my heating system upgraded at a time when one anticipates that the weather will be cold.  Neither would I choose to have my kitchen and bathroom upgraded just before the Christmas New Year holidays. I should be worried that some of the work would be left incomplete or that there might be some niggling fault and then the contractor's staff would be off for the best part of a fortnight. 

Missing Bus Timetable Requested for Stop at Campfield Square Shops

Residents in Barnhill have complained to me about the lack of a bus timetable at the 'new' bus stop on the south side of Nursery Road close to the Campfield Square Shopping Centre. They are glad that the bus stop has been replaced but puzzled why the Timetable space has remained blank.

I have written to the transportation department to request a timetable is inserted as soon as possible.

I shall be watching this space!

Forthill Tenants' Group Grant Approved by Housing Committee

At the Housing Committee last night (Monday 20 August 2012) a grant of £255 was approved for the Forthill Tenants' Association. This was awarded towards the administrative costs of running the group. 

The group meet every month on a Monday evening in the Communal Lounge at the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex 3a Forthill Drive. They are a very active and effective group focusing particularly on the housing and environment in Forthill Drive and Place, Anton Drive, Forthill Road, Nursery Road and Archer Street.

Further details about meeting times from Rita Smart, Secretary, Forthill Tenants' Association c/o the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex.