Scottish Borders Council

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Rosetta Road, Peebles

Contact: Kathleen Mason 

Items
No. Item

1.

Appointment of Chairman

Minutes:

Councillor Bell, seconded by Community Councillor Tatler moved that Councillor Cockburn be appointed Chairman of the Sub-Committee.   No other nominations were put forward.

 

DECISION

AGREED that Councillor Cockburn be appointed Chairman of the Sub-Committee.  

 

2.

Purpose of Sub-Committee

Consider.

Minutes:

Councillor Cockburn advised that a report by the Service Director Commercial Services advising on the position regarding the condition of the A72 had been discussed at the meeting of the Tweeddale Area Forum on 2 September 2015 when it had been agreed that a Sub-Committee be established to look at the A72 in more detail and liaise with key stakeholders about the key issues.  The report by the Service Director Commercial Services advised that the Council participated in a national assessment of road conditions, Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Surveys (SRMCS).   This information produced a road condition indicator consistently across all roads in Scotland.   The survey measured a number of condition criteria, namely:-  (a) texture (roughness of the road);  (b) rutting (wheel tracking);  (c) longitudinal profile (smoothness of ride); and (d) cracking.  Officers issued the information together with other condition information to prioritise programmes of surfacing works from the Capital Programme.  The Statutory Performance Indicator for the condition of the Scottish Local Authority road network was defined as “the percentage of the road network which should be considered for maintenance treatment”  The overall results from the SRMCS were presented using a colour convention set out as follows:-

Green Minor defects might be present, but the road was considered to be in an acceptable condition

Amber Further investigation was required

Red The road had deteriorated to a point where repairs were very likely to be required to preserve serviceability and to prolong its future.

The RCI was derived by adding together the lengths of road shown as “red” and “amber”, and expressing the result as a percentage of the total road network length. 2015 results showed Scottish Borders Council with the greatest decline in condition over the two year period at 3.8% within the rural authority group, and overall the second worst in Scotland.  In terms of the A72 an appendix to the report showed those sections of road identified as being in condition red, amber and green.  Significant sections of red/amber existed between (a) Blyth Bridge and Wester Happrew; (b) Four Mile Bridge; (c) Edston Quarry; (d) Peebles High Street; ( e) Walkerburn; and (f) Clovenfords.    It was hoped that the Sub-Group would be able to make recommendations on priority areas of the A72 to the Tweeddale Area Forum on 30 November 2016.

 

DECISION

NOTED the position.

 

3.

Discussion of way forward and listing of the main issues including setting a time frame for reporting back to the Tweeddale Area Forum on 30 November 2016.

Minutes:

Councillor Cockburn advised that at a meeting of Scrutiny held today Members had considered a briefing note by the Service  Director Commercial Services  which set out the potential costs of re-trunking of the A7 North of Galashiels and the trunking of A72 Galashiels  - Peebles – Blyth Bridge routes. The report also explained that it was very unlikely that Transport Scotland would agree to the trunking of the A7 North of Galashiels and the trunking of A72 Galashiels  - Peebles – Blyth Bridge routes.  The report recommended that Scrutiny Committee made no recommendation to the Executive Committee on the matter.   The Officials in attendance presented information on their respective roles within the Council and of budgetary constraints.    During the discussions which took place Members were mindful of problem areas at Holylee, Dirt Pot Corner, Caerlee, and Stobo.  It was pointed out that quarry lorries from Edston Quarry were causing as much damage to the A72 as timber lorries.  Congestion issues were on the A72 at the Old Town, Peebles as there was a pinch point in the road from the Neidpath Inn down towards Cuddy Bridge.     Small improvements could be made to road verges.    Paragraph  8.5 of the report  considered by the Tweeddale Area Forum advised that over the years potential schemes had been identified at the following locations on the A72 – Kirkdean, Blyth Bridge, Ladyurd, Tarth Bridge, Lyne Church,  Neidpath Corner, Dirtpot Corner, Woodend – Tighnuilt (2 phases), Holylee, Stirling Bridge to Clovenfords.and Officers were asked to prioritise this list.   The Sub-Committee further agreed that it would be helpful if Community Councillors could carry out a survey within their own areas and bring with them to a future meeting a list of local problems encountered on the A72 and Officers welcomed this.     Mr Richardson referred to a document prepared by the A7 Action Group and advised he would circulate this to Members of the Sub-Committee. 

 

DECISION

AGREED that

(a)     Officers bring back to the next meeting a prioritised list of works on the A72; and

 

(b)     Community Councillors would carry out a survey of the A72 within their own areas and report back to the next meeting.

 

4.

Membership of Sub-Committee

Consider co-option of other Members.

Minutes:

members discussed co-option of other members and it was agreed that a representative from Police Scotland be asked to join the sub-committee.   Accordingly, the Democratic Services Officer would liaise with Inspector M. Bennett about this appointment.

 

DECISION

AGREED that the Democratic Services Officer liaise with Inspector M. Bennett regarding the appointment of a police representative to the Sub-Committee. 

 

5.

Date of Next Meeting

Minutes:

The next meeting would be held on Monday 16 May 2016 at 6.00 p.m. in the Council Offices, Rosetta Road, Peebles.

 

DECISION

AGREED that the next meeting be held on Monday 16 May 2016 at 6.00 p.m. in the Council Offices, Rosetta Road, Peebles.

 

 

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