More Cycle Paths to Get Winter Maintenance 2016/17

At a meeting of the City Development Committee on Monday 26 September, the Committee was asked to confirm the Winter Maintenance programme for 2016/17; principally salting and gritting the roads and pavements. I asked for clarification about the Council's commitment to undertaking 'winter maintenance' on the principal off road cycle paths. The Head of Roads and Transportation confirmed that the pilot programme that extended salting and gritting to the Green Circular route between Broughty Ferry and Invergowrie in 2015/16 would be continued. This route had been chosen because it is the busiest all year cycle path used regularly by cycling commuters. Furthermore during the coming winter, this scheme would be extended to to other busy off-road cycle paths.

Rhinopatch Filling Ferry Potholes

Tayside Contracts were in Broughty Ferry today filling in potholes. The picture shows work people using a Rhinopatch machine in Douglas Terrace.

This is a proprietary infra-red road repair process. It is a permanent and sustainable process that can be used for all types of surface repairs up to 100mm depth including joint failures, trench reinstatements, pavement defects, around ironwork and potholes.

The four stage process heats the existing surface with an infrared heater (the square metal box in the picture) before a rejuvenating ingredient is added to the surface. If required, additional material is then added to the area before it is compacted and preservative applied.

This cost effective technology also minimises disruption to the road user and as no jackhammers are used it is safer for operatives and relatively quiet for off peak working.

Balmossie Brae Residents in Catch 22

In the recent extended period of cold weather, residents of Balmossie Brae found their steeply rising access road virtually impassable. It was dangerous driving down the hill with cars slithering out of control onto the main A92 Dundee - Arbroath Road and it was at times impossible to drive up the hill. This was because their access road was not cleared, nor gritted, and neither were their estate grit bins refilled. As their estate roads have not yet been adopted by the City Council this remains the responsibility of the estate's developer, Stewart Milne Homes of Aberdeen.
The latest twist to their woes came earlier this week when resident Wendy Butter phoned Stewart Milne to request that the grit bins were refilled as the weather looked as though it might deteriorate. She was apparently advised, that the Scottish Government had placed a ban on selling of grit to anyone but local councils so private contractors had to source it through local councils. Stewart Milne were reportedly unable to source grit from Dundee City Council as Tayside Contracts will not supply it to outside suppliers.

Resident Wendy Butters said,
"I think we are going round in circles here!"

Ferry Councillor Laurie Bidwell said,
"Over Christmas and New Year the developer was apparently not contactable when residents needed to summon help with winter road maintenance on their estate. This does not seem like an exemplary standard of aftercare. Right now the Council have access to grit but they are not responsible for this unadopted road. Stewart Milne Homes, who are responsible for the road at Balmossie Brae, reportedly can't access grit to fill the bins so that at least the residents can grit their own road and pavements. The residents seem to be in a catch 22."

"I contacted the City Development department of the City Council earlier today and have asked that consideration is given to making house developers' responsibility for winter road maintenance more explicit in conditions applied to future planning permissions. This of course won't help the residents of Balmossie Brae. They need more thorough aftercare from Stewart Milne Homes and less buck passing until their roads are adopted, hopefully in 2011."

Map of Council Grit Bins and Priority Routes for Winter Maintnenance

There is now a useful map on the Council website which details the location of all the Council grit bins and Priority Carriageway and Footpath Routes for winter maintenance.

http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/forms/wintermaintmap.php