RESIDENTS in Heathhall have expressed disbelief after being told their pothole plague is ‘deemed not of a high enough priority to warrant priority action’ by council officers.
Following a number of complaints from residents in and around Barnett Road, officers inspected the road on January 30 but were “unable to provide a specific timescale for repairs”.
Reacting to the council’s assessment of the road, Heathhall Community Council chairman George Irving said: “The response received from Dumfries and Galloway Council completely ignores the issues posed by the potholes 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.”
South Scotland SNP MSP Emma Harper has now written to the 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.
She said: “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.”
