Edinburgh roundabout so badly damaged it's like the 'surface of the moon'

Liberal Democrat Cllr Kevin Lang criticised what he claims is a lack of funding for road repairs after he was told the Ferry Road roundabout, which connects Davidson’s Mains with Silverknowes, is now so badly damaged, repair work will now not start until 2021 – after initially being assured it would be fixed in the 2019/20 financial year.

Cllr Lang said: “The roundabout has been in a real state for some time. There’s a massive great big hole right in the middle of it.

“I have been pushing for some time to get it made safe as any vehicle going over the middle of it risks being damaged. Some have described it as resembling the surface of the moon.

Even the surface around it is in a really bad state. It’s not just motorists – many of the complaints are from cyclists who regularly use it, as it’s close to the national cycle route.

“The damage is now so bad, the work is being delayed for two years. I have had so many folk on at me complaining about it. When I explain to them that the damage is now serious enough for surfacing work and it will take another two years, I know what the reaction will be to that.”

He added: “This is going to be more than surface treatment. When we have got really significant damage, they effectively have to rip up the surface and relay it all.

“I recognise it’s a more significant job and they have bigger jobs they have to get done. But here is a key junction in the west of Edinburgh that officials have recognised is in a dangerous state.

“It does illustrate why we need to be putting more money into road and footway maintenance. I think it’s the lack of dedicated funding that’s putting real pressure on the service.”

In the budget, agreed in February, the SNP-Labour coalition agreed to spent £30 million towards fixing potholes and resurfacing roads in the 2019/20 financial year – as part of a four-year £125 million programme.

Previously, it was revealed that only 36 per cent of scheduled prioritised road projects were expected to be finished by March, with carried over projects also being completed. There was also a reported £8.35m underspend on the council’s capital roads projects.

Edinburgh City Council said the Ferry Road works would not go far enough to repair the roundabout.

Transport and environment vice convener, Cllr Karen Doran, said: “While an initial survey suggested surface treatment would be sufficient for the roundabout, a more in-depth inspection concluded that this would not be suitable, and that resurfacing would be required to ensure lasting results. This has been prioritised”