The Edinburgh Reporter was down in the Cowgate this morning along with a veritable possé of cameras and journalists there to meet the council’s Transport Convenor, Lesley Hinds to find out about the improvements to the council’s roadworks inspection service. The council have increased the number of inspectors out on the streets in an effort to ensure that the roads which are dug up for any reason are then put back properly.
More utility firms will be brought to book for defective road and pavement repairs in the capital.
The City of Edinburgh Council has boosted the number of inspectors in their Roadworks Support Team to six, with two new officials taking up their posts today.
The team currently carry out 13,000 inspections a year on sites where work is ongoing or has been completed by organisations such as water, gas, power and telecom firms.
Now with the extra inspectors they will be checking all re-instatement works carried out during the year and expect to increase the number of inspections to 20,000.
Around 80% of the roadworks in the capital are carried out by utility companies with around 15% of these proving to be defective. Last year 1,511 defects were reported to utility firms following inspections and there are currently 550 defects awaiting repair.
It is hoped that the combined work of the team and calls from the public will encourage utility firms to ensure their re-instatement work is of an acceptable standard.
The extra inspectors come after the Capital Coalition pledged last month at the Transport and Environment Committee to invest a further £12m in improving the city’s roads and pavements. This is in addition to the £13.9m capital investment for roads, pavements and street lighting allocated for this year.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “The state of roads and pavements in Edinburgh is a high priority for the public and the Capital Coalition, and it is extremely important to make sure that disruption caused by re-instatement works is kept to a minimum.
“The public, quite rightly, get very frustrated when they see roads or pavements deteriorating because of poor workmanship by utilities contractors. By increasing the number of inspectors we hope to achieve a long term reduction in the failure rate and an improvement in the condition of the road network.
“It is also vitally important in terms of public safety that roads and pavements are reinstated properly, as defective repairs can be dangerous.”
The public are also being urged to help the Council tackle defective utility works. These can be highlighted on the reporting page on the Council’s website. They can also contact the Clarence service on 0800 23 23 23 from 8am to 8pm on weekdays or via the Council’s emergency service on 0131 200 2000 at other times.
A map and details of utilities’ works are available from the Scottish Road Works website of the Office of the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
Lesley Hinds wants to get on her pushbike and come and see the mess in Shandwick Place West Maitland St etc where all the concrete and rails are being dug up. Who has been sacked over this shocking piece of workmanship the silence out of the High Street is deafening
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