Tag: repairs

SOS North Edinburgh Housing Emergency Update

Edinburgh Council’s Senior Housing Staff meet North Edinburgh Parents Action Group at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

Last Wednesday (27th September), North Edinburgh Parents Action Group met with senior members of the Council’s housing management team and the Chair of the Housing Committee to discuss the issues raised in their report ‘SOS North Edinburgh’s Housing Emergency’ .

The group used the meeting to highlight many of the housing problems which sadly are common in most areas of North Edinburgh including mould and dampness, overcrowding, anti-social behaviour and an unacceptable repairs service. 

Shocking

Group members shared their own personal stories about how these issues were impacting on their familiies’ physical and mental health. The housing staff and the chair of the Housing Committee were visibly shocked at some of the stories shared by members.

Edinburgh Council’s Senior Housing Staff’s Commitment

The senior housing staff gave a commitment to work with the parents group to address these issues as a matter of urgency.  They also agreed to work closely with local families who have been involved in the project to try to resolve their ongoing housing problems and will use this process to identify what needs to change.  

Susan Rowand, Chairperson of the Parents Group, said: “People have been waiting so long to get their housing issues fixed, many of them can’t wait any longer. We really hope that things begin to happen soon.

“A follow up meeting has been planned for the end of November to update the group on progress made.”

A group member added: ” I feel pain and anger at what my family have been through, maybe something will happen now – I don’t know.”

Next Steps

After the October break, group members will meet with Dr Olivia Swann, Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Edinburgh University. 

Dr Swann worked with the parents group earlier this year on their publication and told group members that “strong scientific evidence has shown that poor housing can affect someone’s physical and mental health throughout their life.” 

This is a very worrying concern for group members and highlights the need to address the area’s housing emergency now.

THE REPORT:

Housing Report FINAL AW (1) (3)Download

Disruption expected as major works on the A8 commence this month

Roadworks (Getty)

The city council is to repair the road surfaces and drainage on the A8 at Glasgow Road and the Ingliston interchange to improve driving conditions and enhance road safety.

Work will start on Monday 16 September and is expected to finish in March 2025.

Each phase of work will be split into two parts:

  • Drainage improvement work. This will take place between Mondays and Thursdays from 9.30am – 3.30pm.
  • Road resurfacing work. This will take place overnight between Mondays and Fridays from 7.30pm – 6.30am.

Phase 1: 16 September 2024 – 25 October 2024
A8 Eastbound – from Ingliston Interchange North West slip-road To Gogar Roundabout.

Phase 2: 28 October 2024 – 15 November 2024
Glasgow Road – From Gogar Roundabout to Maybury Road.

Phase 3: 18 November 2024 – 29 November 2024
Ingliston Interchange North East slip road.

Phase 4: 6 January 2025 – March 2025
Ingliston Interchange dumbbells and remaining slip roads.

Work will temporarily stop between 30 November and 5 January to minimise disruption during the busy festive period.

Full details are available on the council website.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “We’re committed to keeping Edinburgh moving and making sure our roads are properly maintained and serviced. This is why we’re carrying out this major work on the A8 through the autumn and into the New Year.

“Whilst there may be some disruption whilst work is ongoing, this is a key arterial road and it’s essential that we make these repairs.

“I’d like to thank all road users for their patience during this time.

“I’m also conscious that this was one of the key issues raised by our residents in the recent Budget Engagement Consultation. We’re listening and fixing the roads.”

Roads and pavements funding ‘will help get our city back on track’

Transport Convener: ‘I am working to ensure we continue investing in roads and footpaths’

The City of Edinburgh Council is on track to carry out improvements on the largest area of roads and pavements in one financial year, thanks to £11m of additional capital investment.

The additional investment was agreed in the February 2023 budget.

Around 420,000m² of road and 170,000m² of pavement improvements will be carried out in 2023/24, compared to pre-Covid yearly averages of 225,000m² for roads and 30,000m² for pavements.

Amongst the work completed is the resurfacing of Greendykes Road, along with active travel upgrades, improvements on Waterloo Place and Princes Street and the resurfacing of a large section of the A90.

Projects underway include the London Road placemaking improvement scheme, which will result in pavement improvements such as widening, cycle segregation, new traffic signals and pedestrian crossings and road resurfacing. This is due for completion in March 2024.

Most budgeted capital schemes will have been delivered in the first three quarters of 2023/24. By taking advantage of warmer weather, teams reduced the amount of material being laid in colder conditions and thereby the likelihood of material failure.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The effect of this additional £11m of capital investment is clear in the numbers – in 2023/24 we’ll improve more square metres of roads and pavements than in any other financial year.

“Of course, concerns around the condition of our roads and pavements remain and are justified, and we’re listening. By significantly increasing the number of improvement schemes we’re working towards a safe, usable network.

“That said, like any other city we continue to work to a tight budget, in the face of increasing labour and material costs. However, this investment, along with prudent planning and delivery of schemes, is helping the situation to improve. The work undertaken in 2023/24 will help get our city back on track, but I am working to ensure we continue investing in roads and footpaths.”

The main focus for the final quarter of 2023/24 will be pavements, with plans to resurface almost 100 footways in residential streets, amounting to more than 86,000m² of coverage.

Capital improvements will also be supplemented by work carried out by the Council’s Roads Operations team, in addition to its role providing day-to-day revenue maintenance. In 2023/24 Roads Operations will deliver improvements to 45,000m² of the city’s roads, bringing the total area covered in 2023/24 to over 460,000m².

This has been aided by the Council’s new Pothole Pro machine, which ensures a higher level of quality control and reliable repairs. This machine has now fixed around 8,000m² of potholed road surfaces.

Find out more about roads and pavements maintenance.

Montgomery Street Park to close for refurbishment

Montgomery Street play park will close on Monday 24 July for improvements.

Friends of the park said: “The city council is installing new equipment and surfacing to make our play park fun, creative and safe. Unfortunately the play park will be unavailable for ten weeks.

“The renovated play park is expected to reopen in October with its improved safety and aesthetics, to welcome children, youngsters and families. Enjoy safe Montgomery Street Park!”

Pothole plague: What to do

It’s been revealed this week that it is taking up to EIGHTEEN MONTHS for some potholes to be repaired

Louise Thomas, car insurance expert at Confused.com, comments: “It’s common to see potholes this time of year, as cold weather and rainfall cause damage to roads. Potholes can be dangerous for road users, which is why it’s so important to report them if spotted.

“Our latest research reveals that almost 1 in 4 (23%) drivers have had their cars damaged because of a pothole. And the damage has costed £174, on average, for drivers to fix or repair.

“With rising motoring costs a continuous challenge in the current climate, potholes can be a costly annoyance. But drivers can make a claim, which could help to reduce how much they’re paying out themselves.

“To make a claim, drivers should:

1.          Check for damage and gather evidence with clear photos or videos

2.          Report the pothole to the local council

3.          Ask a mechanic to confirm the damage and get a quote for the repair

4.          Submit the claim to your insurer

“Our tips on how to make a pothole claim can help drivers through the claims process, so that they could potentially receive compensation for the damage caused.”

Edinburgh homeowners avoid DIY tasks due to a fear of failure

  • Almost a third (30%) of homeowners in Edinburgh put off trying DIY tasks – such as wallpapering or building furniture – due to a fear of failure, new survey shows.
  • The DIY Fulfilment Survey, conducted by Blinds Direct, uncovers the nation’s attitudes towards DIY tasks and how this impacts our home décor habits.
  • Edinburgh homeowners’ least favourite DIY tasks were revealed to be decorating a room (e.g. repainting), small DIY fixes (damaged pipes), and cleaning the car.
  • Other factors that put off Edinburgh homeowners from DIY tasks include concerns around the difficulty of the task (50%), and quality of the end result (40%). 

Almost a third (30%) of homeowners in Edinburgh avoid a DIY task due to a fear of failure, suggesting a regional lack of confidence in home décor skills, a new survey reveals.

The DIY Fulfilment Survey, conducted by Blinds Direct looks at the nation’s attitude towards common DIY tasks and our home décor habits. These include the tasks we find the most satisfying to do ourselves, how much we spend on décor, and which rooms we focus on.

The survey also found that homeowners in Edinburgh are deterred from taking on a DIY task due to concerns around the difficulty of doing so (50%), the quality of the end result (40%), and the time taken to complete (34%).

For homeowners in Edinburgh, the survey showed that the room that sees the most regular décor updates was the living room, followed by the kitchen and master bedroom. 

And the most important factors for local homeowners when it comes to purchasing a home décor product came out as the cost (51%), the quality (42%), the durability (31%), and the aesthetic (30%) – while the least important factor came out as the availability (10%). 

The survey also found that the majority of Edinburgh homeowners spend between £250-500 on home décor products each year. 

Darren Green, Managing Director at Blinds Direct, commented, “It’s encouraging to see so many homeowners, and especially younger people, happier with their homes now than they were a year ago. 

“It’s also heartening that we’re becoming increasingly confident in taking on the challenge of keeping our homes beautiful ourselves. Whether it’s fitting a wooden blind, painting a wall or building a new desk, we are becoming increasingly confident in our own abilities and the positive effect it has on our happiness reinforces the importance of doing things independently.”

Other key focus areas encompassed in the survey included which factors people deem the most important when considering a home décor product, and which DIY tasks result in the greatest sense of achievement when completed. 

To see the full breakdown of results, please visit the DIY Fulfilment Survey here: 

https://www.blindsdirect.co.uk/fulfilment-survey 

SP Energy Networks works to repair cable fault in Craiglockhart

Engineers from SP Energy Networks have begun work in the Craiglockhart area today to repair damage to an underground cable following a power cut on Thursday morning.

Power was temporarily lost in the Craiglockhart area just after 1am on Thursday (11 March), however it was restored to the 1,000 customers affected within the hour.

The power cut was a result of a high voltage cable fault and engineers worked quickly and safely to restore power to the customers affected.

While power is now restored, SP Energy Networks is still working to repair the cable fault and secure the energy supply.

The fault location is outside the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, on the A70 Lanark Road between Craiglockhart Avenue and Inglis Green Road junctions and work is expected to last until Wednesday 17 March.

David Climie, District General Manager at SP Energy Networks, said: “We would like to apologise for any inconvenience our repair works cause and thank Edinburgh residents for their patience as we fix this fault.

“Our HV cables are responsible for transporting electricity to thousands of homes in the city, to ensure the network remains resilient and power continues to flow, we need to undertake work to repair the cable just now. While we know travel will be disrupted as a result of these works, we’ll keep it to a minimum with our teams working as quickly as possible to carry out the repairs.

“Traffic management measures are already in place and we expect the works to be fully completed by Wednesday next week.”

To keep up to date with the latest information, please follow @SPEnergyNetwork on Twitter.

Prepare for more roads disruption: now it’s the A7

A major £1.5 million resurfacing project on one of Edinburgh’s major arterial routes will start next week. Work on the main road stretching from South Bridge to Newington Road is expected to take three months and will mean considerable disruption for both commuters and local residents. Continue reading Prepare for more roads disruption: now it’s the A7