Due to extensive earthworks operations, the closure on the C5K at Greens of Crynoch, Maryculter, has been extended for a further four weeks into late April.
This is to facilitate AWPR bridge construction and drainage works.
The work is now due to be completed by 22 April.
In December the Forties oil pipeline sprung a leak at Netherley. As a result the pipeline closed down, attracting nationwide coverage in the media as it affected the UK economy … so it will be interesting to hear on Monday evening what the company which owns the oil pipeline has to North Kincardine Rural Community Council.
The community council has invited representatives from INEOS to present at the meeting. This will allow the community to understand why the leakage happened and what measures have been undertaken to ensure the area is safe.
Everyone is welcome on Monday 19 March at Lairhillock School at 7.30pm, with the ordinary meeting taking place from around 8pm. The agenda and minutes can be found at http://www.nkrcc.org.uk/minutes-page/
Thirteen faulty street lights on the A90 between Stonehaven and the Bridge of Dee are to be fixed w/c 1 April in conjunction with AWPR works.
Meanwhile four lamp defects at the Newtonhill southbound junction are to be repaired on the evening of Thursday 15 March.
UPDATE, 30 March: Although someone from Bear Scotland did attend to the lights at the Newtonhill southbound junction on 15 March, they could not be fixed at that point. Bear Scotland say today they “are programmed to attend and repair remaining fault Tuesday the 3rd of April.”
Not so good news. I have just heard that a number of under-performing council-supported bus services are being stopped or reduced as part of changes intended to save more than £200,000 a year.
Ten services have been either cut or reduced. to ensure the amount the council spends on bus services does not exceed the budget allocated.
It includes two local services which are being withdrawn:
Service 108 (Muchalls – Newtonhill Park & Choose); Tuesday and Thursday schooldays inter-peak return journey.
Service 103 (Cookney – Aberdeen); Monday to Friday peak return journey.
Last week I sought assurances from council officers that the drains at Lairhillock School are not obstructed … the main entrance and the car park were flooded during the heavy rain. I have now received that reassurance.
The education service tells me that the drains at the school are clear and have coped in the past. Officers believe that the exceptional and severe weather conditions and the sheer volume of snowmelt and rain over a prolonged period caused this problem and that under ‘normal’ weather conditions they do not foresee this happening again.
The water approached the main entrance to the school building but did not breach it and no internal damage was done. I am told the janitor did a fantastic job shifting and organising additional sandbags. The school buses had to enter the school playground to collect pupils at the end of the school day but this was managed and controlled safely.
A survey by Citizens Advice Scotland shows two thirds of Scots are dissatisfied with local bus services, with bus travel falling below 400 million journeys for the first time.
Passengers have expressed frustrations with the frequency and reliability of services.
The Scotland-wide figures show that:
• 64% are either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied by the frequency of scheduled services.
• 56% feel the same about the punctuality of their buses (i.e. those services that do exist are often late).
• 58% feel that their local buses offer poor value for money.
• 60% think fare information is not good enough.
• Nearly one third (32%) say the buses are not clean enough or are in poor condition.
• 46% say they are not given enough time to sit down
• 16% say there is no bus service to their local hospital or GP.
If you have a point you wish to raise with Stagecoach about their services locally, then you can buttonhole their senior managers at the Kincardine and Mearns Bus Forum on Thursday 29 March in Stonehaven Town Hall. The meeting starts at 7pm.
The Scottish Government has announced that it will not call in the Kingsford Stadium decision. Last month Aberdeen councillors voted in favour of Aberdeen Football Club’s planning application to move from Pittodrie to a site in the green belt east of Westhill.
The Scottish Government said in the notification that while recognising concerns raised by Aberdeenshire Council in relation to the planning application, Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the proposal does not warrant a decision to be taken by central government and that Aberdeen City Council is best placed to take this decision.
However, Ministers expect Aberdeen City Council, in doing so, to have regard to the matters raised by Aberdeenshire Council.
The stadium will impact on Westhill, particularly regarding car parking on match days.
Since the city council took its decision I have received more than 50 emails and some letters all urging Aberdeenshire councillors not to support any proposals in the county which would facilitate the building of the stadium. I will keep my thoughts to myself until such matters come before me for a decision, if they do.
Things are getting back to normal today after the rain and snow of the past few days, and thankfully the forecast is much more settled now.
Yesterday Kincardine and Mearns area experienced quite a lot of disruption and some flooding.
There were a considerable number of locations where flooding made roads impassable at times. Marykirk was seriously affected with flooding on the road and roads closed. The B979 Netherley Road was at times impassable. There was localised flooding on the South Deeside Road with some houses at risk.
Lairhillock School also experienced flooding at the entrance and the car park.
The River Carron in Stonehaven was at a worrying level but started to fall slowly from about 8pm before getting critical.
Coupled with last week’s severe frost and snow, then localised flooding and heavy rain, there will be a lot of repairs required to the road network. These repairs will take some time.
If you come across a new pothole, please report it at https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/apps/roadconditions/
Owing to Select Utilities Ltd laying duct on behalf of BT it will be necessary to close the U67K country road at Stoneyhill, west of Maryculter, on 19 March for five days.
Emergency and pedestrian access to be maintained. Vehicular access to affected properties to be maintained whenever possible.
