Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

3/3/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is in Busby, East Renfrewshire, United Kingdom.
16 hrs ·

I have just written to the Roads and Transportation coordinator at ERC to alert her of the traffic chaos in Busby today due to works by contractors on behalf of Scottish Water near Field Road.

This is a poorly planned set of works and not realistic for it to continue like this slowing traffic through Busby at this pace.

Motorists were reporting times of 30 minutes between the White Cart and Field Rd and 50 minutes from Thorntonhall roundabout to Netherlee. This is completely unacceptable.

This is work in Busby Glen that should be taking place under floodlights at night between 7pm to 6am.

It should not be taking place during the daytime peak traffic times on a main A trunk Road connecting Paisley with East Kilbride.

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

03/03/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is in Busby, East Renfrewshire, United Kingdom.
3 hrs ·

Update on the Busby traffic chaos due to work by contractors on behalf of Scottish Power.

The Roads and Transport Controller has just replied to my request and is looking to see if traffic management can be removed during peak rush hours.

My own view is, due to the nature of this road being an "A" trunk road connecting Paisley with EK that, there is very little quiet period during the day.

I will continue to push for the work to be done at night under floodlights.

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

03/03/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is in Busby, East Renfrewshire, United Kingdom.
2 hrs ·

Update. Busby roads chaos.

A further letter just written to the Roads Controller at 10:15am.

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Hi Jane,

I should also highlight that many are reporting that there are actually no workers present at EK Road and Field Rd which is adding to the frustration. It appears that the traffic mgmt company holding up all the traffic are the only party present.

People are reporting being late for work by 45 minutes and being late to drop off children to school and nursery and playgroups by 30 minutes.

This is all compounded by the fact that the EK to Waterfoot Rd has also been restricted as well as of this morning.

It is kettling people in and I've not seen traffic like it in this area.

My view is this work needs to be rethought completely and it needs to be immediately suspended.

The best option is for this work to be considered to be emergency work that needs done and for it to be done under floodlights at night.

The inconvenience of that will be minimal in comparison to the complete shambles it is now.

This road is an A road connecting EK and Paisley and many parts of it are trunk road, dual carriageway.

It comes down to a narrow one lane in each direction through my ward and we can't have works like this during the day here.

It just can't continue like this. It is just not realistic.

I would request that the work be suspended and a meeting is called with Scottish water and all contractors and councillors to discuss the best way forward.

Kind regards,

David.

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

3/3/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people
11 mins ·

Update. Busby Road chaos.

A reply from the Roads and Transportation coordinator to my earlier email to her is below.

It seems as if mistakes have been made and no safeguards have been sought or obtained by ERC prior to this work going ahead and that the council now state they are powerless to do anything.

Scottish Water, it seems, can do what they wish and not the council, councillors or citizens can do anything about it.

I am beyond disappointed.

My own view is different to this approach as I am sure many of you will appreciate.

Scottish water have commenced this section of the work without consulting the council and as such, the council view this unfavourably but cannot stop it now that it has started.

Should we all collectively ask Scottish Water to therfore compensate anyone who has been late for work, had to pay for extra childcare or who has missed important appointments due to the horrendous delay in traffic their little plan has caused?

I will of course be communicating my dismay and disappointment with Scottish Water directly.

They have created an absolute mess without any consideration at all for the people it has impacted upon.

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Hi Councillor Macdonald,

The works that are being carried out by Scottish Water are to repair a damaged sewer, unfortunately due to there being an open excavation the traffic management cannot be lifted during peak hours.

We have assurances from SW that they will manually control the traffic lights between the hours of 7.30am and 7pm and that the excavation will be reinstated and the road re-opened before peak time tomorrow.

Had we been notified or consulted in advance we would have insisted that these works be carried out during the weekend to minimise disruption.

As it stands just now we cannot suspend works immediately as you have suggested as the excavation needs to be made safe before the road can be re-opened.

The fact that we had no advance notification of these works will be raised with SW.

Our inspector will visit site tomorrow to check on progress with a view to ensuring works are completed and the road re-opened as soon as possible.

I understand how busy this road is and the frustrations the works have caused road users and as indicated above the matter will be raised with SW.

Regards
Roads & Transportation Controller
East Renfrewshire Council
Unit 2 Spiersbridge Business Park
Thornliebank
G46 8NG

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

5/3/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is at Busby Primary.
Yesterday at 01:18 · Glasgow ·

The traffic chaos this morning at Busby Primary school at drop off time. This due, primarily, to the road closure of Bull Road. Incidentally there is no work going on right now there. Just signs.

As you can see in the videos motorists are being forced to drive up on to the pedestrian footpath in order to be able to pass one another through no fault of their own.

This level of road safety around our Primary School is unacceptable. Not a single person from either the council or the Police were in attendance to direct traffic which I find disappointing.

If roads are closing around a primary school for days on end the council should be deploying people to direct traffic. People should not be abandoned like this.

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

5/3/2020

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is in Busby, East Renfrewshire, United Kingdom.
Yesterday at 02:12 ·

Busby traffic chaos.

This morning I paid a visit to get a better understanding of exactly what is what.