Frustrated Tillydrone residents are calling for action to be taken to resurface a crumbling road.
When the third Don crossing opened in 2016, contractor Balfour Beatty tarred Coningham Terrace to a point. However, the remainder has been left to fall apart.
Community councillor Billy Kidd has lived on Coningham Terrace for 36 years.
He told us that during his time on the street, no work has been carried out on the road except temporary patch repairs.
Aberdeen City Council workers last patched the road up just six weeks ago, however it has already fallen back into a state of disrepair.
Billy explained the street had been patched “umpteen times through the years” but claimed it was a “waste of taxpayers money”.
“I’ve always said this is past a repair, it needs resurfaced,” he said.
Coningham Terrace fix would benefit residents and police
But residents may have to wait some time before a more permanent fix.
Any resurfacing work may be on hold until the construction of new council housing is completed on the site of the former Aberdon House care home.
Billy explained: “Council road engineers could resurface three quarters of the way down and leave the final quarter for [construction firm] Chap’s access.
“The council is dragging its feet.”
Billy also believes the repairs would benefit the wider community as Tillydrone Police Station is located at the foot of Coningham Terrace.
He said: “This is the main road for the police, they are up and down here 24/7.
“They need a decent road for when they head out to emergencies.”
‘You hear every motor bumping over the holes all the time’
Tillydrone Community Council has reported other roads in the area over the years and they have been successfully resurfaced.
However, they feel Coningham Terrace has been left out.
Billy has taken it upon himself to sweep the stones from the temporary repairs back into the potholes to prevent harm to residents or damage to vehicles.
“The stones, when they are lying about the street, they skite and hit the cars,” he explained.
“You hear every motor, especially vans, bumping over the holes all the time.”
“All we’re asking is, if there’s no construction traffic coming down here, for the council to see a bit of common sense.”
Tillydrone councillor joins community call to fix road
Local councillor Ross Grant has joined the community’s calls to get the road resurfaced, having raised the issue “for years”.
His Labour group led the local authority until last May.
Mr Grant said he would see what the council can do to fast track the work and get the road resurfaced as soon as possible.
He said: “The road at Coningham Terrace has been a very long-standing point of frustration.
“The council has agreed that it needs to be resurfaced but the problem is the nearby housing development.
“Officers fear that construction traffic would cause the newly resurfaced road to deteriorate and that’s something they don’t want to see.”
Mr Grant added: “The delays to the housing project due to reappraisal work has not helped and has delayed the road resurfacing even further.
“I understand Coningham Terrace is not being used for construction traffic and so there is no reason why the road can’t now be resurfaced.
“The residents nearby have been really waiting a very long time.”
What does the council have to say about it?
However a council spokeswoman confirmed that a permanent repair would be carried out once the council flat development is finished.
She said: “Residents are aware of the situation and have been informed through various enquiries.
“Temporary repairs were carried out and will continue until all the public utility services have been completed and installed within the road for the neighbouring developments.”
Conversation