Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 2022

Miller’s Wynd – closed until 26 December 2022 at its junction with Hawkhill for major construction works.

Guthrie Street (Brown Street to West Marketgait) – closed from Monday 31 October for 3 weeks for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Dunmore Gardens and Dunmore Drive – full closure of both roads for carriageway resurfacing from 9 November for 5 days.

Milnbank Road – closed westbound from junction of Bankmill Road for 4 days from 15 November for ground investigation works.

Women's only yoga - new class at Dundee West Church #dundeewestend

There's a new women's only yoga class at Dundee West Church on Tuesdays - details below :

Kidical family friendly bike ride today! #dundeewestend

There's another family-friendly fun bike ride on today - and the last Saturday of every month.

Meet-up at Lochee Park's playpark at 1pm - all welcome! 

Friends of Wighton latest update

Latest Friends of Wighton update from Sheena Wellington about a recital taking place this Saturday in the Wighton Heritage Centre at the Central Library :

On Saturday 29th October at 11am we have a very special and rare treat – a harpsichord recital by Mark Spalding.

The Wighton Harpsichord is a French double-manual instrument after the C18 maker Nicholas Blanchet, built by Mark Stevenson, Cambridge 1983. 

Mark Spalding is a first class player who has been tending the instrument with loving care.

All welcome!

Friends of Balgay meeting this Saturday #dundeewestend

There will be a Friends of Balgay meeting this Saturday morning at the Botanic Garden.

Details below and all welcome!

New West End and Lochee Connecting Carers Café #dundeewestend

There's a new West End and Lochee Connecting Carers Café starting tomorrow - Thursday 27th October from 9.30am to 11.30am - at the Friary in Tullideph Road.

Aimed at carers across the West End and Lochee, this is another new great initiative!

Progress with Riverside/Northshore House, Luna Place #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that Fraser repeatedly raised the really deteriorating state of Riverside/Northshore House through graffiti and vandalism over many years. It had been vacant since call centre firm Sitel left the city more than a decade ago and sits on a very prominent site in the Technology Park looking onto Riverside Avenue at the entrance to the city.

Following Fraser raising this with planning enforcement at the City Council, the building's Northern Irish owners started work transforming it into modern office facilities last year.

We are very pleased at progress since with the restored Riverside/Northshore House now complete and local company Westport Properties is now marketing rental space at the site.

The photos are 'before' and 'after' the transformation (taken in 2018 and four years later respectively), which I am sure residents will agree is a very positive outcome.

Maggie's Culture Crawl!

Join Maggie's Centre on a spook-tacular stroll through Dundee supporting people with cancer - taking place next Friday - 28th October.

Bring your friends and make it a night to remember!

You can expect:

+ Access to V&A Dundee and other venues

+ Free beers and pizzas en route

+ Spooky story-tellers revealing Dundee's ghostly history

+ A free Maggie’s t-shirt

Register now at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maggies-culture-crawl-dundee-2022-registration-362316718057 - walk to remember, walk to celebrate and walk with friends.

If you have any questions, please call 0300 123 1801.

In conversation with Polly Pullar #dundeewestend

Polly Pullar comes to Blackness Library next Saturday - 29th October - for a talk following the publication of her new book, The Horizontal Oak: A Life in Nature.

Polly is a renowned wildlife expert, journalist and photographer. She will discuss her new book which includes her experiences of a childhood spent in a remote corner of the West Highlands and her love of nature and wildlife but also touches on the family tragedies she experienced while growing up. 

The session will be followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience.   There will be a book sale and signing after the event.

You can book at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-conversation-with-polly-pullar-tickets-381540476837

For further details of the event, or if you encounter difficulties booking via Eventbrite, please call Blackness Library on 435936.

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - SATURDAY 22 AND SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER 2022

Nethergate – closed between the west side of its junction with West Marketgait and South Tay Street on Sunday 23 October for one day for heavy plant delivery to Greenmarket development site.

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 2022

Miller’s Wynd – closed until 26 December 2022 at its junction with Hawkhill for major construction works.

Blackness Road (at junction with Balgay Road) – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) temporary traffic lights on Monday 24 October for carriageway resurfacing works.

South Marketgait (at Railway Station) – overnight (7.30pm to 6.30am) off‑side northbound lane closure on Monday 24 October for Scottish Water investigation work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Guthrie Street (Brown Street to West Marketgait) – closed from Monday 31 October for 3 weeks for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work.

Dunmore Gardens and Dunmore Drive – full closure of both roads for carriageway resurfacing from 9 November for 5 days.

Milnbank Road – closed westbound from junction of Bankmill Road for 4 days from 15 November for ground investigation works.

Update on Stagecoach bus service 39 #dundeewestend

Further to the good news we reported at the end of August that, from this month, bus service 39 would have some journeys going via the far west end of Perth Road around Millbay Terrace, Millbay Gardens and Clovis Duveau Drive - an area completely lacking bus services in recent times.

We are pleased to say this welcome re-routing has now taken place. The first journey going towards Kingoodie in the morning is just after 0941 running until 1741 with return journeys into the city centre starting around 0915 running until 1615. The timetable is given below.

The City Council has agreed with our request that it works with Stagecoach to promote the service. We have also asked that the bus stop city centre-bound on Perth Road at Clovis Duveau Drive is reinstated, of benefit to both local residents and also visitors to the Riverside View Care Home.

Dundee Art Society event #dundeewestend

This month’s free talk at the Roseangle Gallery home of the Dundee Art Society is by the very talented artist Hilke MacIntyre.

It takes place tomorrow - Friday 21st October - from 7pm to 9pm.

Hilke specialises in ceramic reliefs, linocuts and paintings preferring colour, pattern, simplified shapes and abstracted spaces. 

She enjoys developing new ideas to combine these elements in pictures of life around her and inspiration from the ‘primitive’ art, contemporary design and nature of early 20th century art.

Zumba at Dundee West Church today! #dundeewestend

With the colder weather making an appearance, Zumba at Victoria Gardens has moved its Wednesday Zumba sessions indoors until next year.

You can join today's Zumba session at Dundee West Church at 12 noon today - all welcome.

The class remains free to everyone, with no pre-booking required.

Bus diversions during Balgay Road/Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue junction works #dundeewestend

The road resurfacing and road safety work at the Balgay Road/Blackness Road/Blackness Avenue junction starts tomorrow - Wednesday 19th October.

The City Council has provided us with the following information about bus diversions during the roadworks :

"We will have Public Notices out at affected stops from Tuesday with diversion information for all services and Realtime displays within the closure will also be amended accordingly.

For this particular closure, the 73 will divert via West Park Road and Perth Road in both directions and therefore the 73 will not serve any stops between West Park Road and the bottom of Blackness Avenue.

Xplore Dundee diversions are as below –

Road closed: Blackness Road

Commencing: Wednesday 19 October

Scheduled duration: three days

Services affected: 6 | 17 | 22

UPDATED

Service 6

Towards Ninewells Hospital

Normal route to Blackness Avenue, then right into Hyndford Street, right into Blackness Road and left into Glenagnes Road. Resume normal route from Scott Street.

Towards City Centre

Normal route to Scott Street, then left into Glenagnes Road, right into Blackness Road and left into Seymour Street. Resume normal route from Blackness Avenue.

Service 17

Towards Whitfield

Normal route to Pentland Avenue, then left into Scott Street, right into Glenagnes Road, right into Blackness Road and left into Seymour Street. Resume normal route from Blackness Avenue.

Towards Ninewells Hospital

Normal route to Blackness Avenue, then right into Hyndford Street, right into Blackness Road, left into Glenagnes Road and left into Scott Street. Resume normal route from Pentland Avenue.

Service 22

Towards Craigowl

Normal route to Blackness Road, then right into West Park Road, left into Perth Road, left into Blackness Avenue and right into Hyndford Street. Resume normal route from Blackness Road.

Towards Ninewells Hospital

Normal route to Blackness Road, then left into Seymour Street, left into Blackness Avenue, right into Perth Road and right into West Park Road. Resume normal route from Blackness Road.

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 17 OCTOBER 2022

Miller’s Wynd – closed until 26 December 2022 at its junction with Hawkhill for major construction works.

City Road (Tullideph Place to Logie Street) – closed until Thursday 20 October for Scottish Water emergency works.

Lower Pleasance – road closure until Thursday 20 October for CityFibre work.

Brown Street (Hawkhill to Guthrie Street) – closed from Monday 17 October for 5 days for carriageway resurfacing.

Lochee Road (at Polepark Road) - temporary traffic lights from Tuesday 18 October to Friday 21 October for CityFibre work.

Blackness Road (at junction with Balgay Road) - closed from Wednesday 19 October for 3 days to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works.

Nethergate – closed between the west side of its junction with West Marketgait and South Tay Street on Sunday 23 October for one day for heavy plant delivery to Greenmarket development site.

Forthcoming Roadworks

South Marketgait (at Railway Station) – overnight (7.30pm to 6.30am) off‑side northbound lane closure on Monday 24 October for Scottish Water investigation work.

Guthrie Street (Brown Street to West Marketgait) – closed from Monday 31 October for 3 weeks for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work.

Dunmore Gardens and Dunmore Drive – full closure of both roads for carriageway resurfacing from 9 November for 5 days.

Milnbank Road – closed westbound from junction of Bankmill Road for 4 days from 15 November for ground investigation works.

Getting things done - Peddie Street #dundeewestend

Many thanks to the residents who recently contacted us about a dog waste bin had fallen over in Peddie Street - its the post had rusted at the base.

We reported this to environment management who promised to promptly uplift this. We also requested that a replacement bin is provided to ensure adequate dog waste bin facilities in Peddie Street.

Botanic Garden plant sale tomorrow! #dundeewestend

The Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden are holding its final plant sale of the year tomorrow - Sunday 16th October - from 11am-2pm, in the Botanic Garden car park as usual.

This sale will include some bare rooted plants, and others that the Friends have been dividing up ready for winter, as well as some potted garden plants that they have been growing on over the summer.

All welcome!

Scotland's Garden Scheme - this weekend! #dundeewestend

This forthcoming weekend again sees Frances and John Dent in Glamis Drive open their lovely garden to residents as part of Scotland's Gardens Scheme.

Not only is a visit to the garden a pleasure - it also helps raise funds for charity.   This time, John and Frances are again supporting Dr Graham's Homes in Kalimpong, West Bengal.

The homes were founded more than 100 years ago as an orphanage for Anglo-Indian children. Since then it has developed to be a successful boarding school for children from Nursery to Senior ages, with an additional hostel in Kolkata for school leavers progressing to higher education.

The pupils now come from a range of socially deprived families rather than as orphans. Approximately half of the boarding pupils are partially or fully sponsored by an international group of supporters especially from the UK.   As Dr Graham was a Moderator of the General Assembly in the 1940s, the Church of Scotland has a long-standing interest in the homes.

So, please visit this weekend - a lovely garden to see and a very worthwhile charity being supported.

You can get full details below :

Blackness Road / Blackness Avenue / Balgay Road junction safety and resurfacing update #dundeewestend

Further to our August update on planned road safety improvements at the Blackness Road / Blackness Avenue / Balgay Road junction, we can advise this work will take place starting next Wednesday - 19th October.

The junction will be closed from Wednesday for three days to allow the safety work to be completed and road resurfacing works to be undertaken across the junction.

Residents will have noted that preliminary electrics works for the new electronic signage have already started.

Here is the Temporary Traffic Order from the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of road safety improvement and resurfacing works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Blackness Road (at its junction with Balgay Road and Blackness Avenue), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Wednesday 19 October 2022 for 3 working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via City Road / Scott Street / Glenagnes Road / Blackness Road / Bellfield Street / Hawkhill / Perth Road / Glamis Road.

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

Temporary Traffic Order – Lower Pleasance

From the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of City Fibre duct installation works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in :

+ Lower Pleasance (between Brewery Lane and Lochee Road)

+ Lower Pleasance (between Brewery Lane and Brook Street)

This notice comes into effect on Friday 14 October 2022 for 5 working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained. Only one section will be closed at any time.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Brewery Lane / Polepark Road / Lochee Road and Brewery Lane / Park Street / Douglas Street.

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

Ninewells Community Garden event #dundeewestend

Ninewells Community Garden is running a drop in gardening Q&A session particularly aimed at staff at Ninewells Hospital over lunchtime tomorrow.

If you enjoy gardening but lack the skills or have some questions that need answering, this event will be of interest.

The garden's wellbeing co-ordinator will be on hand in the garden to answer gardening questions and develop the skills of participants.

All welcome - it starts at 12 noon - and more details are available at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/drop-in-gardening-qa-session-tickets-348020768487

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 10 OCTOBER 2022

Miller’s Wynd – closed until 26 December 2022 at its junction with Hawkhill for major construction works.

City Road (Tullideph Place to Logie Street) – closed for up to 2 weeks for Scottish Water emergency works.

Hillside Road (junction with Hillside Place) – closed for up to one week for carriageway resurfacing works.

Lower Pleasance – road closure from Friday 14 October for 5 days for CityFibre work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Lochee Road (at Polepark Road) - temporary traffic lights from Tuesday 18 October to Friday 21 October for CityFibre work.

Blackness Road (at junction with Balgay Road) - closed from Wednesday 19 October for 3 days to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works.

Guthrie Street (Brown Street to West Marketgait) – closed from Monday 31 October for 3 weeks for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work.

Dunmore Gardens and Dunmore Drive – full closure of both roads for carriageway resurfacing from 9 November for 5 days.

Milnbank Road – closed westbound from junction of Bankmill Road for 4 days from 15 November for ground investigation works.

Festival of the Future 2022

Festival of the Future is the University of Dundee’s flagship festival programme that celebrates and enhances collaboration between science, arts, and culture.

The festival this year is all about sharing experiences, connecting with nature, health, and wellbeing, and celebrating and protecting our spaces and places.

During the festival, you will be able to experience the sensations of forest bathing, design and build your own mini garden, top up your happiness supplies and explore the tranquil and natural spaces that we have right here on our very own doorstep.

There's lots of great events next week and more details are available at www.dundee.ac.uk/festival-future/events

Woven Together – Dundee’s Slavery Connections

Woven Together Dundee is a community-based research project exploring Black and ethnic minority history in Dundee.

For this special live event as part of Black History Month, some of the project volunteers will discuss the stories they have uncovered about the city’s links to slavery.

Run in association with the Abertay Historical Society, the event will be held in Lecture Theatre 2, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee on Wednesday 12th October at 6.30pm.

The event is free to attend and full details including booking are available at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/woven-together-dundees-slavery-connections-tickets-403567339777

Paper and cardboard facilities at Riverside Recycling Centre #dundeewestend

Since the reopening of the Riverside Recycling Centre after the initial COVID lockdowns, we have had complaints about the lack of both paper and cardboard facilities.

We have repeatedly raised this and have now had this welcome update from the council's Waste Services Manager :

"I can confirm that paper and carboard can now be placed in the same skip for recycling, as per our new contractual arrangements that were reported to committee last year 

We have been on site today and reminded the attendants of this. 

We previously provided small chain lift skips for separate paper recycling but as part of our efficiency improvements we have replaced these with new small hook lift skips for paper/cardboard. 

These can be serviced by the same skip lorry that does the larger skips and negates the need for two different skip trucks to service the site. 

We will have the signage updated shortly to reflect this as well."

Getting things done - Roseangle #dundeewestend

We have raised issues about repeated flooding at the south end of Roseangle, often flooding across the road, onto the pavement and flooding basements in the adjacent flats.    

Issues we have highlighted that are within the locus of both Scottish Water and the City Council include drain capacity and cleaning on the street drains and road edges.    Given the downhill incline in Roseangle, unfortunately significant quantities of rainwater builds up at the south end of the street in heavy rain.

As we also get flooding issues at other locations in the West End as well, we thought it useful to post this update from the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership Manager :

"I can confirm that road gullies across Dundee and Broughty Ferry are periodically inspected and the Road Maintenance Partnership continue to undertake their cyclical gully maintenance programme in the area. 

The Road Maintenance Partnership in conjunction with the City Engineers are currently reviewing areas of potential flooding hotspots in the city in order to prioritise and potentially increase the number of gully cleans in high risk areas.   Subsequently the number of gully cleans in low-risk areas would be reduced.

If any specific problems with the adopted road drainage system are identified by property owners, they can report this to Dundee City Council via the "Report a road or pavement defect" link available at www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/city-development/roads-maintenance or by contacting the Dundee City Council Customer Services team on 434000. 

Please note that very intense storm events, similar to those experienced recently in Dundee and Broughty Ferry put the drainage systems, including the sewer network and road drains, under significant pressure and result in them being overwhelmed.  

This can have the unfortunate consequence of flooding that is beyond the control of Scottish Water and Dundee City Council. The complex nature of flooding across Scotland, with many agencies responsible for different aspects of the sewerage and drainage systems in our communities, means that a partnership approach is vital for reducing the risk of flooding. 

Scottish Water and Dundee City Council continue to work together to understand areas most affected and consider measures that can be introduced to reduce the surface water flood risk during these intense rainfall events."

Dundee Community Music Festival

With thanks to Ed Muirhead of Face the Music here's information from him about the community music festival next Saturday 8th October - featuring a variety of local musicians, choirs and bands.

It is running from 3pm to 9pm in the University of Dundee Chaplaincy Centre - and promises to be a great celebration with music of all kinds.

There’s sets from Tayside Makaton Choir and The Noteables choir - who will also both collaborate with a unique performance. There’s bagpipes, a folk duo and a performance from a school trad music group.

Plus, there’s songwriters circles showcasing popular artists taking turns singing their songs. And to round off the night, established Dundee band The Cundeez and new young band illiterate will each perform an acoustic set too.

If you can help spread the word, that would be great. To make it as inclusive and accessible as possible, entry by donation - with all proceeds going towards performers and enabling more community music in Dundee.

Further details are available at https://facemusic.co.uk/gigs/ - and on Facebook at :

www.facebook.com/FaceMusicUK

Getting things done - Rosefield Place and Bankmill Road #dundeewestend

Over a long period we have raised issues around the mess in Rosefield Place and the path to Bankmill Road - mainly around keeping the communal bins in Rosefield Place tidier - some of these are council but some private/commercial - and the graffiti along the path.

We have had assurances about the bins (see photo) - although this needs very regular attention given on-going fly-tipping here and on the graffiti on the wall along the path to Bankmill Road, we have been given the following assurance from our local environment manager :

"I have been in touch with colleagues and we should see some action here in / around 15 days or so to paint over the graffitied wall."

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2022

Miller’s Wynd – closed until 26 December 2022 at its junction with Hawkhill for major construction works.

City Road (Tullideph Place to Logie Street) – closed for up to 3 weeks for Scottish Water emergency works.

Hillside Road (junction with Hillside Place) – closed for up to one week for carriageway resurfacing works.

Park Street and Ash Lane – lane closure/road closure from Monday 3 October for 5 days for CityFibre work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Nethergate (West Marketgait to Union Street) – closed from Monday 10 October for 9 days for carriageway resurfacing works.

Lower Pleasance – road closure from Friday 14 October for 5 days for CityFibre work.

Blackness Road (at junction with Balgay Road) - closed from Wednesday 19 October for 3 days to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works.

Guthrie Street (Brown Street to West Marketgait) – closed from Monday 31 October for 3 weeks for Scottish and Southern Energy Network work.

West End Dementia Cafe

The Dundee Carers' Centre West End Dementia Cafe takes place next Thursday at Logie & St John's (Cross) Church - all welcome.

Fraser called into the inaugural cafe last month and it was a really enjoyable event for all!

Getting things done - Hillside Place #dundeewestend

We have received concerns about the deteriorating condition of the road surface in Hillside Place.

We have therefore contacted the Roads Maintenance Partnership seeking repairs.

Meantime, we have been assured that the junction of Hillside Drive / Hillside Road will be resurfaced in the near future.