Published: Friday, 15th February, 2008 12:30
Potholes blight road to Mackintosh gem
By Tracy-Ann Carmichael
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PITTED: The damaged road surface is a hazard for drivers on the route to the Hill House.
Furious residents have blasted council chiefs over the condition of one of Helensburgh’s most vital roads.
Locals living close to Kennedy Drive have accused the Argyll and Bute authority of failing to address the state of the street, which links upper Helensburgh with the town’s main tourist attraction.
The thoroughfare provides access to Charles Rennie Mackintosh gem The Hill House, connecting it with main roads including Sinclair Street and the Blackhill route on to the A82.
But locals say it is in an appalling condition and fear gaping potholes could be playing havoc with their vehicles.
They have accused council chiefs of carrying out “inadequate” cut price repairs instead of providing a lasting solution to the problem.
Andrew Turnbull, whose daily journey from his home in nearby Redclyffe Gardens, leaves him to navigate the road, said: “The road is littered with potholes which has been an ongoing problem for many years.
“Repairs over the years have been totally inadequate with potholes being poorly filled with sub-standard tarmac.
“A complete relaying of a new surface is needed for the entire length of the street.”
Mr Turnbull — who has written to Argyll and Bute’s roads manager Alan Kerr, over the issue — added: “During an MOT last month, the spring coil on the suspension had fractured.
“The main contributing factor, I think is my daily use of Kennedy Drive. The current surface is unacceptable and can only lead to more problems for motorists and other road users.
“Kennedy Drive is also the road that most tourists and visitors use to access
“The Hill House. With the attraction opening from March, it won’t be long before coaches start to navigate through the potholes. This doesn’t give a good impression of our town to tourists.”
A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council defended their treatment of Kennedy Drive, saying: “Our priority is to repair the pot holes as quickly as possible to ensure the immediate safety of road users. With this in mind, we adhere to a maintenance regime, which means that we aren’t always able to use the highest quality materials in the short term.
“Although we aim for first time re-instatement, it is not always possible to achieve this on a limited budget, especially during the winter months.
“However we recognise that this issue is important to residents and are therefore dealing with the situation through the delivery of a roads asset management plan, which incorporates Kennedy Drive.”
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