Opposition councillors have called for firmer actions against utilities companies which damage or delay roadworks in the city without ramification.
At a meeting of the council’s city development committee on Monday evening, Labour Councillor Richard McCready and Lib Dem Bailie Fraser Macpherson both highlighted issues with consistent roadworks which over-ran in the West End.
Both council members, who represent the West End ward, highlighted the return of Scottish Water in Blackness Road, who will carry out maintenance on the same road for the second time this year.
The water utility company had wrapped up mains work on Blackness Road in May, but confirmed at the start of September they would be returning to re-address work connected to ongoing efforts across Dundee.
Mr Macpherson and Mr McCready’s complaints were raised during the committee, which was asked to and subsequently did note a consultation on raising standards and improving the quality of roadworks in the area for 2017.
Mr Macpherson said: “I think we have all become a little bit sick of the constant road works carried out in the West End
“One company in particular is coming back to carry out work on a street they only recently done.
“It would be helpful if the companies were charged for overrunning or when work has to be redone.
“There is no incentive for these utility companies to finish the work on time.
“There is a real need for Transport Scotland to look at imposing a method of charging.”
Mr Macpherson continued by mentioning the impact road works were having on local businesses in the area.
Convener of the city development committee, Councillor Lynne Short, advised that businesses and small firms who had been affected by the road closures, as well as upcoming works, may be eligible to apply for money through their business insurers.
Mr McCready echoed Mr Macpherson’s sentiment, and said: “We are being quite generous to these utilities companies and while all of this improvement work is welcome, it does appear to be uncoordinated.
“Scottish Water and Scottish and Southern Energy have both now dug up roads and we find out the work hasn’t been completed.
“We are being quite generous to these companies and I am not sure they would be the same if it were the other way around.
“If we stopped them from carrying out work or affected business I am sure they would complain, or to our constituents if they don’t pay their bills.”
Ms Short suggested that the council would write a strongly worded letter to Transport Scotland as part of their response to the consultation in regard to the raised matters.
Scottish and Southern Energy were forced to abandon works last year, before digging up the same stretch of road at the start of this year due to a fault with the cable they were due to lay.
