Resurfacing of West Park Road #dundeewestend

As residents are aware, we have long-campaigned for the resurfacing of most of West Park Road and are very pleased that this was finally successful last month - Michael is pictured at the new road surface - a vast improvement on the potholed and badly deteriorated, old surface.

Whilst this is good news, it must be remembered that the current budget is wholly inadequate and far too few roads and footpaths are being upgraded. It is particularly stark this year and brings into focus the bad effect of many years of SNP under-investment in pavements and roads.

At the council’s revenue budget, the Liberal Democrat Group proposed an additional £2 million next year for roads resurfacing and £1 million on pavements resurfacing to properly tackle the state of many footpaths and road surfaces that we get so many complaints about.

Unfortunately, the SNP voted down the LibDem budget proposals 15-12, but we will continue to campaign for roads and pavements improvements across the West End.

Temporary Traffic Order - West Park Road

Having long campaigned for road resurfacing in West Park Road, we are pleased to advise of this temporary traffic order from the City Council :

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating carriageway resurfacing works.

The Order is expected to be in force for ten days from 2 September 2024. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in West Park Road from its junction with Blackness Road to its junction with Beechwood Terrace.

An alternative route will be available westbound via Blackness Road, Glamis Road, Perth Road and in reverse, and eastbound via Blackness Road, Hyndford Street, Perth Road and in reverse.

Any queries should be addressed to the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS or call 07939 282882.

Road surface at West Park Road - an update #dundeewestend

As residents will be aware the section of West Park Road roughly north of the junction with Beechwood Terrace up to Blackness Road is a road in very poor condition.

Last year, we requested that it be considered for inclusion in the 2023/24 capital programme for resurfacing and this was agreed by the Roads Maintenance Partnership.

Unfortunately, thanks to the cut in the Roads Maintenance Partnership budget made by the SNP administration, it did not make it into the finalised programme this year and we again contacted the Roads Maintenance Partnership about this.

The Senior Engineer has since assured us as follows :

"West Park Road is right at the top of next year's list If anything drops out this year then we can do it. At the moment nothing is set to drop out but it is very early in the financial year."

Getting things done - West Park Road #dundeewestend

We have received numerous complaints about the deteriorating state of the road surface in West Park Road at its north end - particularly north of the Beechwood Terrace junction.

We contacted the Roads Maintenance Partnership about this and have received a positive response being advised that West Park Road is included in this year's carriageway programme for 'targeted' structural inlay repairs which will greatly improve the road surface.

We sought clarity around which part of the road was to be 'targeted' for the repairs and have been advised "... areas at the north end of West Park Road will be included as budgets permit."

Getting things done - West Park Road #dundeewestend

During the significant snowfall in early February, as part of the snow clearance effort on West Park Road, a JCB was used to remove much of the build up of snow.

Regrettably, as residents have since pointed out to me, the JCB caused some damage to the road surface.

The damaged part of West Park Road is mainly at the junction of Westpark Gardens and Norwood Terrace.

I have since raised this with the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and it has been agreed that a site inspection will take place to check the extent of damage and then get repairs undertaken.

Temporary Traffic Order - West Park Road

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 BT duct installation works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in West Park Road (northbound between Perth Road and St Johnswood Terrace), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Monday 3 September 2018 for 2 working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Perth Road / Glamis Road / Blackness Road.

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

West Park Road - street sign

Residents have contacted me regarding the fact that street sign in West Park Road at its junction with Perth Road (west side) is very faded :

I have therefore asked the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership if it can be replaced.

Temporary Traffic Order - Blackness Road and West Park Road

From the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that waiting on the road should be prohibited by reason of Scottish Water repair works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT all vehicular traffic from waiting in :

West Park Road (between Scotswood Terrace and Blackness Road), Dundee

Blackness Road (between numbers 378 to 382 and numbers 325 to 341), Dundee

This notice comes into effect on Wednesday 16 July 2014 for one day.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

For further information contact (01382) 433082.

Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

Getting things done - West Park Road area

Residents have recently complained to me about vehicles parking right on the end of several of the roads that join West Park Road causing sight lines difficulties at junctions - so asked if the transportation team at the City Council could look at yellow lining right at the junctions where appropriate.

The Head of Transportation has advised:

The intention is that in advance of the Harris Academy returning to the Perth Road the parking restrictions around the school will be revisited, along the lines of the wider vicinity previously proposed for parking restrictions but abandoned in light of the impending decant.   I will ask that your constituents' request is included in these considerations.  

All junctions should be protected through the basic rules of the Highway Code with Rule 243 stating that you should not park within 10 metres of a junction.  I realise in reality that this is often abused and the yellow lines are often in place to assist enforce where there are pedestrian / road safety issues.  

Winter maintenance over past few days

With the inclement weather over the past few days, I have had numerous winter maintenance queries from constituents.   The City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership has updated me regarding resources deployed and I reproduce this below.   

The reference to West Park Road is in relation to a specific concern I raised about the road surface there on Monday - there was a minor traffic accident there at the junction with Beechwood Terrace on Monday morning:

"In response to your enquiry relating to the winter service delivered over the last few days I can confirm that all available resources were deployed in accordance with Committee Report 365-2012: Winter Maintenance Service.

With regard to West Park Road there was a road traffic accident which Tayside Police attended at approx. 8am on Monday 11th March.  

Priority carriageway gritting route 02 which includes West Park Road, was treated between 0600 and 0800 on the morning of Monday 11th March.

The following resources were deployed by the Roads Maintenance Partnership on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday:

Sunday 10th March:

•         Priority carriageway routes were treated by mainline gritters commencing 0500 through to 1700

•         Secondary and cul-de-sac carriageway routes were treated by tractor 8 gritters commencing treatment from 0700 through to 1700

•         Priority footway routes were treated by mainline mini-ploughs commencing 0530. 

•         Secondary footway routes followed priority footway routes through to 1700

•         Nightshift carriageway routes (east and west) commenced 1900 through to 0530.

Monday 11th March:

•         Priority carriageway routes were treated by mainline gritters commencing 0600 through to 1930

•         Secondary and cul-de-sac carriageway routes were treated by tractor 8 gritters commencing treatment from 0600 through to 1800

•         Priority footway routes were treated by mainline mini-ploughs commencing 0600. 

•         Secondary footway routes followed priority footway routes through to 1900

•         Nightshift carriageway routes (east and west) commenced 2100 through to 0530.

Tuesday 12th March:

•         Priority carriageway routes are being treated by mainline gritters, commenced 0500 onwards

•         Secondary and cul-de-sac carriageway routes are being treated by tractor 8 gritters, commenced treatment 0600 onwards

•         Priority footway routes are being treated by mainline mini-ploughs, commenced 0600 onwards. 

•         Secondary footway routes follow priority footway routes 

•         Nightshift carriageway routes (east and west) will commence 2100 through to 0530.

In addition the Environment Dept had a workforce of approx. 75 treating sheltered housing and social works priority buildings on Monday, and a workforce of approx. 40 Tuesday."

West End view ...

A wonderful West End view today in Beechwood Terrace, off West Park Road - photo taken when visiting constituents.

Superb Sunday!

A lovely Sunday in the West End!   


Here's a photo taken earlier in West Park Road :

Harris Academy - progress on car parking

Some months ago, the City Council proposed a significant extension of double yellow lines in Perth Road and West Park Road near to Harris Academy, because of the number of parked cars that have caused problems such as obstruction.

Some weeks ago, I had a meeting at Harris Academy with residents, the Depute Head Teacher and a City Council Risk Management representative to see if an alteration to the road access in the school (pictured right) could mean more staff cars are off the street and into staff car parks.   This would avoid the need for much of the proposed yellow lines, which bring with them disadvantages for residents.

Earlier this week, along with a representative of the Education Department and the school's Depute Head Teacher, I attended a site visit to look at proposals City Engineers have drawn up that will widen the access and allow separation of pupil access from that of vehicles.

It is a sensible solution that, in my view, will greatly improve matters.    The proposal will go before the Education Committee early in the New Year and I hope it is endorsed.   I am most grateful to council officers who have worked across departments to achieve a practical solution to this problem.

And Tuesday ...

This afternoon, I had a very useful and productive meeting at Harris Academy with the Depute Head Teacher, a representative from the City Council's Risk Management team and constituents about the parking issues around the school. I have now followed this up with an e-mail to the City Council's Chief Executive about ways to improve the parking situation in the area around this part of Perth Road and on West Park Road.

This evening at West End Community Council, Liz Broumley of WestFest gave an informative resume of how well the event had run in June. The first-ever WestFest was a great success. Liz is leaving Dundee to live in Cromarty in the near future - she's made a tremendous contibution to the West End and we all wish Roger and Liz the very best for the future.

As always, there was a lively discussion about a number of local issues at the Community Council tonight - and news of its new community base at The Vine is a really good step forward for the West End.

Tackling West End flooding concerns

Following the flooding concerns raised with me by residents arising out of the torrential downpour on 21st August, I have had feedback from the City Council about issues at a number of locations.

I am meeting with residents and a city council engineer shortly about the issues at two of the locations (Osborne Place and streets around West Park Road) and with regard to the lower end of Roseangle, I have been advised as follows:

"To address the specific complaints in your email the area inspector for Roseangle will check the road gullies at the locations reported and arrange for them to be cleared if required."

I have been further advised that the Roads Maintenance Section operates a maintenance programme which is both planned and reactive. Planned maintenance involves the gullies being serviced twice a year although in reality this is not always achievable because of obstruction from parked cars/skips/scaffolding. Reactive maintenance takes place on an ad hoc basis as required in emergency situations/following weather events.

Melville Terrace Street Sign

I have received residents' complaints about the state of the street sign in Melville Terrace, at its junction with West Park Road - as you can see above, it has seen better days! I have asked the City Council for a replacement.