A busy day today, with a site visit in Richmond Terrace relative to a planning appeal (I moved refusal of an application here back in January - click on headline above to read original story).
A busy night at the City Council tonight, with no less than 21 agenda items on the Planning & Transport Committee that I now chair. At Policy and Resources Committee, agreement was reached regarding the issue of properly tackling the unadopted pavements across the City, despite the opposition of the Council's one independent member. Firstly he criticised me for (sic) "pie crust promises" (promises made to be broken) only to find the promises were not to be broken. Tonight, he queried the affordability in relation to the capital programme, then suggested spending it all anyway, but not all on unadopted pavements! Anyway, after the independent failed to find a seconder to propose not fully funding unadopted pavements, the good news is that the increased priority for unadopted pavements being properly made up is going to happen.
Feedback from the City Council about the speed/safety survey I asked for in Blackness Road near to the Kelso steps. I have said "yes" to the helpful suggestion of the traffic safety island:
"The survey has been carried out.
The period covered the times of school activity i.e. 8.ooam to 9.ooam and 3.30pm to 4.30 pm.
There is little pedestrian activity other than a short period when Harris School pupils cross the road. The survey showed about 50 pupils crossing within a 15 minute period. There is no recorded injury accident history at this location. It is near a footway link via the Kelso steps. I have arranged for a pedestrian refuge island to be designed, shown between No 331 (north side) and No 380 (south side) Blackness Road. The scheme will be added to the list of works to be implemented subject to finance, but I would hope to provide the island this financial year.
Although there is presently no confirmed timescale to implement the works I can arrange for the island to be set out at an early date and marked on the carriageway to increase awareness, if you wish."
Lastly, I have been back in touch with the Education Department about the continuing lack of a school crossing patroller in Hawkhill near to Blackness Primary School. I have asked that all steps be taken to resolve the issue in time for the start of the new term.