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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Stephen Temlett

Dumfries pothole-riddled roads an "accident waiting to happen"

Pothole-riddled roads in Dumfries are an “accident waiting to happen” according to frustrated drivers.

Airds Drive, as well as Georgetown, Barnton, Gillbrae and Craigs roads are driving motorists up the wall.

And their complaints have been taken up by Nith ward councillor David Slater who said: “The roads are terrible.”

Loganbarns resident Gail Copeland is among those who have raised concerns at the state of the roads.

She said: “I don’t know what the hell they’re doing at the council. Are they sitting on their hands?

“I pick up my friend in Airds Drive and I’m not joking you can hardly drive in there. It’s like a rat run. The road surface has completely disintegrated.

“From the roundabout at the Spar in Georgetown there are bricks missing. From there to Gillbrae Medical Practice and up by the cemetery it’s just full of holes. Barnton Road is the same. It’s completely gone.”

She added: “We’ve started paying six per cent more in council tax now. What the hell for? I’ve never been in trouble with the law in my life but I am sorely tempted to withdraw that payment for the extra six per cent until they do something about it.”

Mrs Copeland, 64, emailed the council which told her the defects had been previously identified and “added to a future programme of works for repair” however they could not provide a date.

The email added that “in the event that a defect becomes a severe risk this will then be prioritised for repair in line with our statutory obligations”.

Mrs Copeland said: “I looked at the council’s statutory obligations and in my opinion they’re in breach and I would go as far as to say they’ve ignored them.

“They’ve got a responsibility to keep the roads in a passable state and that’s not the case in the region and certainly not in and around Georgetown.

“The response from the council – saying they’d wait until there was severe risk, is absolutely disgraceful. I’ve said that to them.

“They’re willing to wait until there’s severe risk before they do something? That’s scary.”

Councillor Slater said: “A few people have raised these issues before and I’ve raised issues in Oakfield Drive and that area before. I’ve written to Gail and I’ll take this up with the council.

“I think it may be due to building works in the area and heavy vehicles using the road but it needs repaired.”

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