The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Roadworks exasperation for city businesses
Dundee traders have hit out at the city council for carrying out roadworks just as customers begin to return to local shops.
Arbroath Road will be shut between Baffin Street and Albert Street from today for resurfacing works, just weeks after the retail sector was given the green light to operate again following the lockdown.
A number of shops and a pub are located on the affected stretch with more positioned on side streets nearby.
The work is scheduled to last for 10 days.
Michael Dalrymple, owner of clothing hire firm A1 Kilts, said it was the last thing the business needed.
He said: “If you throw the smallest of obstacles in the way, it can put people off going to the shops just now.
“It’s very frustrating and disappointing. It’s hard to swallow, to be honest. People are very nervous about going out.”
The upgrade had been due to take place in March, before the coronavirus outbreak hit.
Mr Dalrymple questioned why the work could not have gone ahead, within guidelines, while businesses were closed.
“To do the work now could actually be the worst possible time,” he said.
“It would have been safer to do before, surely?
“There are obvious problems with the wedding industry just now it and, of course, that has an impact on us.”
Mohammad Asif, who owns the Best-One convenience store on Arbroath Road near the junction with Albert Street, said he was also worried
Xinyi Jiang, who has a six-year-old daughter and a 21-year-old son with autism, called on the council to do everything it can to help.
She said her son Sebastian, who works as a food delivery cyclist, avoids drinking liquid for up to 10 hours a day because of the lack of facilities.
The UK Government has previously said keeping toilets closed has “equality implications” for those with particular health needs who need to go more often.
The Scottish Government said facilities should reopen so long as a thorough risk assessment is carried out.
Age Scotland chief executive Brian about his business. “We managed to get through the last few months while it was quiet, but now this hits,” he said.
“It’s very hard for us. We will lose customers again just as we were starting to get them back.
“Ten days is a long time. We’re really worried. It makes deliveries very awkward, too.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said it had been unable to go ahead with the roadworks earlier because it was following the guidelines in place during the lockdown.
Businesses on nearby Albert Street previously voiced exasperation after lengthy roadworks shut the busy route last summer.
Stobswell’s main street has also been hit with major resurfacing works on several occasions in recent years to fix damage, believed to be caused by large numbers of HGVs using the route.
It would have been safer to do it before, surely? MICHAEL DALRYMPLE, SHOP OWNER
Sloan said the city has been too slow to put in place safety measures.
He said: “We understand the importance of ensuring these facilities fully comply with hygiene and physical distancing guidelines, but would hope to see them reopen very soon, as the ability to use public toilets if necessary would offer a sense of much-needed reassurance to many at this difficult time.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “We hope to have them open as soon as possible and will provide a further update about their reopening within the next few days.”