Teresa Mooney, Allison Hussain and Nick Kempe from the Strathbungo Society met with a representative from the roads section of Land and Environment Services (LES) on Thursday 25th September about the Nithsdale Rd and Street pavements resurfacing (see previous post on this issue).

We walked over the three pavements that had been resurfaced pointing out a large number of defects including places where the work had not been finished leaving a rough surface and holes. We pointed out that most stanks and other coverings to utilities to flats and businesses are now below the pavement level and many are now impossible to open, identified a section of pavement that had been missed because tree roots were protruding and to tubs and other street furniture belonging to local businesses that are now sealed into the pavement. Local business owners also pointed out that the contractor had left the pavements before they had set and removed barriers and this had resulted in people walking over the wet surface leaving footprints and bringing tar in shops and pubs.

The representative acknowledged these defects (which we intend to confirm in writing) and indicated that they fell below the standards required by the contract LES has for this work. However he also stated that he thought generally the work had been of a reasonable standard – 90% ok as he put it – and that he had not had any complaints apart from ours. The representative expected the defects to be remedied at the end of the contract, when as we understand it council officials inspect all the works done by the specific contractor and agree what needs to be remedied – when asked when this would be, he indicated this would happen before the end of the year and he would tell us when this was due to happen.

We raised the point about the Council’s policies in respect to conservation areas. Basically LES stated they take no account of conservation areas when deciding to resurface pavements. In this case there had been a claim against the council by someone who had tripped and fallen which resulted in LES inspecting the pavements and deciding they needed to be resurfaced for safety reasons. When asked if LES check with DRS before starting resurfacing jobs, the representative stated they don’t and would expect DRS to contact them. When asked whether they had a forward plan for maintenance, the representative said they had a pavement condition survey with all pavements being classed according to four categories – he did not know what category the local pavements had been assessed as prior to the legal claim but undertook to inform us of this.

The representative said LES try wherever possible to use slurry seals – this technique involves adding about 10mm of resurfacing to the top of pavement – as this is the cheapest way to maintain pavements and allows them to maintain more pavements. They do not have a budget that would allow for upgrading of pavements as per the Council’s conservation areas policy – this is the responsibility of a different department, Development and Regeneration Services, who for example are currently paying for the new pavements in Shawlands.

The representative also said that black slurry seals gradually fade to grey over time which means they stand out less visually but that such surfacing could not be used on concrete pavements and this is the reason why the resurfacing works suddenly stops on two of the pavements – two of the pavements are now multi-coloured. The representative said that if such pavements were unsafe, they would simply be patched or in more serious cases would need to be dug up which was much more expensive.

Lastly the representative indicated the pavements on both sides of Nithsdale Rd were broad enough that if residents/owners wanted to reclaim and landscape the parts next to the buildings it was unlikely in his view that LES would object.

Teresa indicated that the Strathbungo Society would be discussing the issue of how to improve pavements at our AGM and would also be contacting DRS to discuss options for improving the pavements in the local area as per the Council’s conservation policies. If you cannot make the AGM please post your views on this issue.