South Scotland MSP Emma Harper has taken Dumfries and Galloway Council to task over a response she has received from the local authority regarding potholes in Barnett Road, Heathhall, which Ms Harper and the community have branded “unacceptably bizarre”.
Following a number of complaints from residents in and around Barnett Road, the South Scotland MSP wrote to Dumfries and Galloway Council to request that they take urgent action to address the “numerous and serious” potholes on the road, which local residents have reported have caused damage to vehicles and which are a general nuisance.
However, in response, residents and Ms Harper have been left in disbelief to learn that Council officers inspected Barnett Road on the 30th of January, but that the potholes were not of a high enough priority to warrant priority action, and that the local authority are “unable to provide a specific timescale for repairs”.
Commenting, Ms Harper said:
“I have had a huge increase in the number of constituents contacting me regarding pot holes in our region. The recent bad weather over the winter has obviously lead to roads deteriorating and I know how damaging this can be to cars, as well as how frustrating it can be. I also know that the staff on the ground are working hard to address potholes.
“However, I have been contacted by numerous residents of Barnett Road in Heathhall regarding the roads poor condition. Having visited the road for myself, I completely agree with them. The road is littered with sizeable potholes – and I know from constituent correspondence that these potholes have already caused damage to residents cars – with one resident stating that “navigating Barnett Road is like driving a slalom”.
“I therefore agree with local residents that the response I have received from DG Council is unacceptable and bizarre to say the least. Barnett Road’s potholes are not insignificant – It is impossible to drive on the street without either driving into a pothole or swerving to avoid one. I am therefore calling on DG Council to prioritise Barnet Road’s potholes, because of the severity of the issue.”
George Irving, Chair of the Heathhall Community Council, added:
“Firstly, our thanks to Emma Harper MSP for raising the huge issue of potholes on Barnett Road. The response received from Dumfries and Galloway Council completely ignores the issues posed by the pot holes in Barnett Road. These potholes have already caused damage to residents cars and they could be hugely damaging to cyclists who could really hurt themselves. We support Emma’s calls for urgent action for the Council to address Barnett Road’s potholes, and indeed potholes right across Heathhall.”
Local resident, Paul Muir, added:
“The road condition in Heathhall, but in particular Barnett Road, is utterly appalling. The road has deteriorated over a significant period and for the council to state that the potholes are not a priority is unbelievable. Particularly in bad weather, the potholes are hard to see and the piecemeal approach to fixing the road doesn’t help. I support Emma’s calls for urgent action from the council — we pay our council tax and deserve local authority roads to be maintained properly.”
