The City Council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership earlier this week published its proposed roads and footpaths resurfacing and improvements programme for the new financial year and the West End proposed work included :
Adopted Footway Programme 2025-26
• Lochee Road - Mitchell Street to Tullideph Road
• Perth Road - Westfield Place to Greenfield Place
• Tay Square - north west - replacement slabbing
• Annfield Street - south side full length
• Jedburgh Road - north side from Blackness Road to Kelso Street
Non-adopted programme 2025-26
• Balgay Cemetery - roads
Carriageway Resurfacing Programme 2025-26
• Roseangle - improvements to the setts - this work is actually carried over from 2024-25
• Jedburgh Road - full length
• Ancrum Road and Charleston Drive - Elmwood Road to No. 69 Ancrum Road (the Charleston Drive section is not in the West End Ward)
Any pavements and roads improvements are welcome and we are pleased that our constant highlighting of the awful state of Jedburgh Road has resulted in it being included in the resurfacing programme. However, we had also asked for Kelso Street and Kelso Place that adjoin Jedburgh Road and are in a poor state be included.
Sadly, we have been informed by the Roads Maintenance Partnership Manager as follows :
"Kelso was initially considered, but due to the conditions of carriageways elsewhere in the city, it was ultimately excluded. I understand that this decision may be frustrating, but it was unavoidable due to budget constraints."
The roads and pavements budget is wholly inadequate and far too few roads and footpaths are being upgraded. It is very clear from recent years' programmes that many years of SNP under-investment in pavements and roads is leading to this situation.
At the council’s revenue budget, the Liberal Democrat Group proposed an additional £1 million next year for roads resurfacing and £500 000 on pavements resurfacing to properly tackle the state of many footpaths and road surfaces that we get so many complaints about. No other party tried to improve the roads and footpaths resurfacing funding in their budget proposals.
Unfortunately, the SNP voted down the LibDem budget proposals 15-5, but we continue to campaign for roads and pavements improvements across the West End.