Friends of the Earth Tayside AGM tonight

Dundee Fair Trade Forum event tomorrow

UPDATE :  28th February - this event has had to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2018

Riverside Drive at Dundee Railway Station – eastbound nearside lane closure for one week for footway works.

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – give and take traffic control for up to 5 days for footway and tree works.

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure for 3 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Riverside Drive (at Botanic Garden) – off peak (9.30am - 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights for up to one week for street lighting duct installation works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Hendersons Wynd (from Douglas Street for a distance of 50m) – closed on Tuesday 13 March for Scottish Water repair works.

Benvie Road/Mitchell Street junction – closed from Saturday 17 March for 5 days for demolition works.  Mitchell Street closed Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March only.

Bonnie Dundee AGM

Getting things done - Richmond Terrace #dundeewestend

Residents have complained to me about the state of the roadway in Richmond Terrace, including potholes.

I contacted the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership about this and have now been advised as follows :

"The Road Maintenance Partnership inspector has carried out an inspection of this area and has raised orders for pothole repairs to be done with a timescale for repair of approximately one month or sooner."

#WestEndDecides - event on Monday!

As I have already publicised, Dundee's Participatory Budgeting process "Dundee Decides" is now live - you can read more at vote here. 

If you live in Dundee, please go onto the site, select the ward in which you live (eg West End) and select which of the six identified projects you would like to see funded and delivered by the City Council. 

You have until 23rd March to vote.

There's a West End drop-in event on Monday - 26th February - 2pm to 6pm at Blackness Library - where you can find out more - all welcome!

Friends of Wighton update ...

From Sheena Wellington :

Wighton Heritage Centre at the Central Library :   Saturday 24th February at 11am (doors open 10.30am) 

Cappuccino Concert with Sandy Brechin, accordion 

and Ewan Wilkinson, vocals and guitar

Sandy and Ewan have been playing together for twelve years now, combining Ewan’s rich baritone singing and unique guitar style with Sandy’s lightning fast accordion playing and backing vocals. 

 The duo have toured all over the world, including Australia, The Middle East, Scandinavia and all over the British Isles.     

A selection of some of the best traditional songs from Scotland (and even some from England!) are interwoven with Ewan’s own songs and Sandy’s high-energy tunes sets to make a dazzling show. 

Admission £5 with tea/coffee available for small donation.

Update on closed path #dundeewestend

Residents have asked when the public pathway to the west side of Harris Academy down to Riverside - currently closed for railway bridge works - will re-open.

The City Council has updated me as follows :

"The works are due to be completed by the 23rd of February. 

This delay is because much of the work requires night time possessions and access is granted conditionally by Network Rail. 

We have also been restricted somewhat by inclement weather."

Temporary Traffic Order - Riverside Approach #dundeewestend

From the City Council :

Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating railway bridge works.  The Order is expected to be in force for 9 days from 23 February 2018.    Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Riverside Approach from a point 60 metres or thereby south of its junction with Magdalen Yard Road to Riverside Drive overnight (2200 - 0600) from Friday 23 February 2018 until Monday 4 March 2018.

Pedestrian access and vehicular access to premises will be maintained where possible.

An alternative route will be available via Roseangle, Perth Road, West Marketgait, West Port Roundabout, West Marketgait, South Marketgait, South Union Street, Riverside Drive and reverse.

For further information, please contact the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee  DD1 1LS - 433275.

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2018

Riverside Drive at Dundee Railway Station – eastbound nearside lane closure for 2 weeks for footway works.

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – closed from Monday 19 February for up to 10 days for footway and tree works.

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure from Monday 19 February for 2 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Riverside Drive (at Botanic Garden) – off peak (9.30am - 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights for one week for street lighting duct installation works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Hendersons Wynd (from Douglas Street for a distance of 50m) – closed on Tuesday 13 March for Scottish Water repair works.

Bus diversions during Glamis Road closure - an update #dundeewestend

Further to my update last Wednesday about bus diversions during the temporary closure of Glamis Road between the rounadbouts with Blackness Road and Dickson Avenue, the City Council has now advised of an amendment to this to accommodate access to Royal Victoria Hospital.

Here's the council's update :

"The Roads Maintenance Partnership has taken the decision to allow bus services X7/8 and 204 to access Royal Victoria Hospital.

Diversions for services X7/8 and 204 are now complicated and therefore not described in detail but in simple terms passengers normally boarding at Glamis Road can use Royal Victoria Hospital as a boarding point.

Due to the works bus services cannot stop on Glamis Road.

I think the vast majority of passengers will use the option of catching buses on Blackness Road or Ninewells Avenue."

New public notice :

Disused office block at Dundee Technology Park - an update

As residents know, I have on many occasions expressed concern over the deteriorating state of an empty prominent office block in Luna Place in the Technology Park that sits beside the Riverside Avenue Ambassador Route, a key entry road into Dundee, with many thousands of vehicles passing every day.

The office block has lain empty for some time and it is understood the owner lives in Ireland.    Late last year, with planning authority, new fencing was erected round the site which I felt was a positive sign, but thereafter there had been poor workmanship including trenches around the site and also significant vandalism.

I took this up with planning officers at the council and the selling agents who are local and I asked them to advise the owner to take steps to rectify the situation and properly restore the building.      

The council’s Planning Enforcement Officer advised me in November 2017 as follows :

“(The owner has) confirmed the trenches outside were dug to allow electricity providers to put in cables.  However when they arrived on site they were unable to supply the required amount of power needed for the building.     Work then come to a standstill.     The transformers have been paid for last week but it takes 6 -8 weeks to get on site.  When the electricity providers arrive on site, the other workmen will also start on site to enable to building to be leased again.  The owner hopes the work will be completed by the end of January 2018.”

However, that works has not happened by the end of January and I therefore asked the council’s Planning Enforcement Officer to intervene.     She updated me last week as follows :

“I managed to get hold of the owner today.  He has been chasing Scottish Electric but the transformers still haven't arrived.  The owner has chased the manufacturers.  Once the transformers arrive they will be given a two week window for when the work will commence on site.  I advised the owner to let me know when he receives the two week time slot and I will keep you updated.”

The deterioration of this building is very obvious on such a prominent site.   It is a terrible advertisement when visitors enter the city, so removing the eyesore as soon as possible is vital.

Getting things done - street drains on Perth Road #dundeewestend

I have received complaints about blocked street drains on Perth Road west of Harris Academy.

As one constituent recently said :

“… the drain grating at bus stop on Perth Road (north side) just east of Arnhall Drive is completely blocked so water backs up in the roadway when it rains heavily.   Last time I checked most of the gratings between there and West Park Road were also part/all blocked by gunge.”

I raised this with the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and have been advised :

"The Road Maintenance Partnership inspector has asked the gully machine to inspect and clear as required."

Sheltered Housing Shoppers' Bus #dundeewestend

The City Council now operates the sheltered housing shoppers' bus service that takes residents direct from their sheltered housing complex to a supermarket and then back to the complex after around an hour for shopping.    

The West End routes are as follows :

Tuesday Timetable :

Tullideph Place 1150

Logie Avenue/Gardens 1205

TESCO RIVERSIDE - arrive 1225

TESCO RIVERSIDE - depart 1325

Thursday Timetable :

Corso Street 1000

Pennycook Lane 1005

Muirlands 1010

Patons Lane 1015

TESCO RIVERSIDE - arrive 1015

TESCO RIVERSIDE - depart 1125

I have requested that the Morven Terrace Sheltered Housing is included in future (I've discussed this previously with the tenants) and have been advised by the council's Travel Care Officer that :

"I have spoken with the driver and I think there is time to accommodate a pick up at Morven Terrace on Tuesday - around midday. The bus will take the shoppers to Tesco Riverside.     ...  we will count the number of passengers travelling from Tullideph Place and Logie Avenue/Gardens to ensure there is sufficient space for any additional passengers from Morven Terrace. Once I have an answer I will liaise with the warden."

Bus diversions during Glamis Road closure #dundeewestend

From the City Council :

PUBLIC NOTICE

GLAMIS ROAD WILL CLOSE FROM 

NINEWELLS AVENUE – BLACKNESS ROAD

ON MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY FOR 2 WEEKS. 

BUS SERVICE DIVERIONS

Service 22/73 towards Ninewells: Normal route to Blackness Road then left turn into Glamis Road – Perth Road – Ninewells Avenue – Dickson Avenue and then follow normal route. 

Service 22/73 towards City Centre: Normal route to Dickson Avenue then via Ninewells Avenue – Perth Road – Glamis Road – Blackness Road and then follow normal route. 

Service 23S towards Harris Academy: Normal route to Dickson Avenue then via Ninewells Avenue – Perth Road –and then follow normal route. 

Service 23S towards Dryburgh: Normal route to Perth Road then via Ninewells Avenue Dickson Avenue and then follow normal route. 

Service 204 towards Ninewells: Normal route to Glamis Drive then right turn into Glamis Road – Perth Road – Ninewells Avenue – Glamis Road and then follow normal route. Royal Victoria Hospital will not be served by bus services.

Service 204 towards City Centre: Normal route to Glamis Road then via Ninewells Avenue – Perth Road, left into Glamis Road – Glamis Drive and then follow normal route. Royal Victoria Hospital will not be served by bus services.

Service X7/8 towards Perth: Normal route to Blackness Road then left via Glamis Road – Perth Road – Tom McDonald Avenue to Ninewells Hospital. Royal Victoria Hospital will not be served by bus services. 

Service X7/8 towards Aberdeen: Depart Ninewells Hospital via Tom McDonald Avenue – Perth Road – Glamis Road – Blackness Road and follow normal route. Royal Victoria Hospital will not be served by bus services.

Should you require further information please call :

Xplore Dundee - 340015 or Stagecoach - 01241 437978

West End Community Council Update #dundeewestend

I have today launched my West End Community Council Update for February - you can download this here.

The Update covers the following issues :

• Nethergate road surface 

• Miller’s Wynd Car Park   

• Lighting – Ninewells Village to Clayhills 

• Hawkhill and West Port - Street Lighting  

The Community Council meets at 7pm tonight at the Logie & St John's (Cross) Church Hall in Shaftesbury Terrace - included is the AGM - all welcome!

The agenda is as follows :

1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES

2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

3. TREASURER’S REPORT 

4. ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS

5. POLICE UPDATE  

6. ANY URGENT COMMUNITY COUNCIL BUSINESS

7. WEST END DECIDES       

8. THANKS AND CLOSE

Light refreshments will be provided.

West End Community Council AGM tomorrow - all welcome!

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2018

Lochee Road (Polepark Road to Gardners Lane) – closed on Sunday 11 February for Scottish Water reinstatement works.

REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2018

Riverside Drive at Dundee Railway Station – eastbound nearside lane closure for 4 weeks for footway works.

Bellfield Street (at Blackness Road) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 February for BT cable repair.

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – off-peak (9.30am - 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 February, then closed from Monday 19 February for up to 10 days for footway and tree works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure from Monday 19 February for 2 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Adult Learning Opportunities in the West End #dundeewestend

The latest Adult Learning newsletter for the city has been published – covering the winter months - and you can download it here.

It is good to see the adult learning offering at the Mitchell Street Centre being publicised, something I was in touch during the autumn with council officers about promoting the great offering.

I am also pleased to see the work of Harris Education and Recreation Association featured.

Getting things done - Hawkhill and West Port #dundeewestend

Residents recently raised with me the fact that the street lighting in parts of the Hawkhill by-pass (near Blackness Primary School) and West Port was not on in the morning when it was still dark.

I am grateful to the Street Lighting Partnership who promptly resolved this - a timeclock issue, now fixed.

The Street Lighting Partnership Manager advised me that timeclocks are being phased out to avoid such issues.   She indicates :

"We replace the timeclocks with a photoelectric cell which operates on the ambient lighting levels. Currently we are using cells which switch the lights at 35lux in the evening and 18 lux in the morning.

Unfortunately it is not a straight swap for these components and often some additional cabling and tracking is required."

Lighting problem resolved #dundeewestend

I am pleased to say, after considerable correspondence I have had with various parties, the lighting in the pathway from Simpson Avenue in the Ninewells Village hospital housing down to Clayhills Drive is now finally repaired and working again - see left :

The lighting had been out of action for some time and there was a question mark as to who had responsibility for this lighting which sits south of the Ninewells Hospital grounds and north of Clayhills Drive.

I am grateful to all parties I have contacted for moving this forward - NHS Tayside, Netlach (who manage the Ninewells housing site), the factors of the Clayhills Drive/Ninian's View development and the council's Street Lighting Partnership.

The path was previously extremely dark at this location at night and it is much safer now the lighting is back on.

Friends of Wighton event today!

From Sheena Wellington :

Today - Wednesday 7th February - Lunchtime Recital at 1.15pm

Wighton Heritage Centre at the Central Library - Lorraine Wilson with Tosh Flood!

Lorraine Wilson is a Dundee-born singer who has performed with various bands in her home city over the years.   A freelance journalist, she is the author of Take it to the Bridge, a book charting the history of rock and pop in Dundee, and Facing Forward, a fascinating account of her solo back-packing trip around Europe. 

She is currently working on an album with her husband Tosh Flood, a highly respected Dublin-born musician, songwriter, and producer, who plays guitars with The Divine Comedy.   They both performed in London with the London Accordion Orchestra in January.

Lorraine and Tosh have put together a special, rather eclectic set of songs for a performance at the Wighton Centre.

Admission is free; donations for Friends of Wighton’s Outreach programme are welcome.

Getting things done - Nethergate

I have expressed concern that, less than a year after the resurfacing and relaying of the block paving surface at Nethergate outside Dundee Contemporary Arts, the road surface is already appearing to sink in places and is uneven - see right :

I have received three complaints from constituents about the road condition in just the past two days.    The work to bring the road outside DCA on the Nethergate at the South Tay Street junction was undertaken in February and March last year.   It is very concerning that, so soon after this work being completed, the road brickwork is uneven, exactly the issue with the road prior to the 2017 work.     This needs to be urgently attended to.

One West End constituent said when reporting the matter to me :

‘I have noticed that since the upgrade of the road outside the DCA that is it slowly going back to its condition of loose brick and developing pot holes.  I think that this is due to the volume of heavy bus traffic up the Perth road, although it is pleasing to the eye the surface is not practical for the traffic volume.  I am sure that the previous resurface cost a significant amount of money and I don’t think we have got what we paid for here, therefore I would be keen to see, acknowledgment that this is an issue and any subsequent communication with the council roads team on what the long term solution is.’

I have reported the matter to the council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership seeking urgent repair.   This is a heavily used road and on a major bus route so it is important it is brought up to standard as soon as possible.

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2018

Riverside Drive at Dundee Railway Station – eastbound nearside lane closure for 5 weeks for footway works.

Lochee Road (Polepark Road to Gardners Lane) – closed on Sunday 11 February for Scottish Water reinstatement works.

Bellfield Street (at Blackness Road) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 February for BT cable repair.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – off-peak (7.30pm - 6.30am) temporary traffic lights on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 February, then closed from Monday 19 February for up to 10 days for footway and tree works.

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure from Monday 19 February for 2 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Community Spirit Action Group meeting #dundeewestend

Details of the next meeting of Community Spirit Action Group - the community group for the "north" part of West End Ward, covering Pentland, Tullideph, Ancrum, Forest Park and the Cleghorn area – all very welcome :

The Women of Discovery Walk

- A free talk - on Wednesday 7th March 2018 at 6.30pm - Baxter Suite, Tower Building at the University of Dundee.

The University of Dundee and the city itself has a proud history of women who surpassed the expectations of their peers. 

This talk is a partnership between Discovery Walk and the University of Dundee Archives. Kelly Marr, the project originator of Discovery Walk, will discuss the works and legacies of the three women who have a plaque in Slessor Gardens, Mary Lily Walker, Professor Margaret Fairlie, and Mary Ann Baxter. 

Caroline Brown, University Archivist, will explore the position and role of women in the University, particularly in its early days as University College, Dundee.

You can book your place here.

This event is part of Dundee Women's Festival 4th-17th March 2018.    For more information on the festival follow the link here.

Miller's Wynd car park improvements #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that, back in November, I highlighted the poor maintenance of the Miller's Wynd car park - the foliage was very tired and there were dumped items across the car park.    

The acquisition by Dundee City Council of the Miller's Wynd car park - from the University of Dundee - has provided much-needed additional free 2 hour parking in this area of Perth Road.   However, it is important the infrastucture of the car park is improved and I contacted Dundee City Council seeking improvements.

I am pleased to say that the overgrown foliage has now been tackled and the dumped items removed - see below :

The Head of Roads and Transportation at the council has now advised me :

"I hope to see this car park given a fuller bit of design attention and I will ... arrange for a bit of multi department design, surface, vegetation, seating, recycling, lighting and issues and there will be an element of community co-design.

This all won't happen overnight and it is not best if we do it in uncoordinated manner/piecemeal manner without an end plan."

It has been agreed that at a community walkabout I am participating in soon - along with council officers, community council and ward colleagues - the car park will be visited and plans further discussed.   The main purpose of the walkabout is to agree specific actions to improve West End car parking - hopefully this will result in concrete progress on this long-standing problem.

Ninewells Community Garden events #dundeewestend