Roslin Glen Road.

It's still closed to traffic of course, but I decided to take a look at it today. There's no sign of any attempt at repair work and I'm hearring gloomy predictions that it may never be re-opened.

It is admittedly bad, but (knowing nothing about engineering) I would have though it could be shored-up on the weakened side. (I've certainly seen stable roads in more difficult places.)

I'll try to post some pictures later when I've worked out how to do it.

Has anyone else been there lately? And, if so, did they notice something peculiar when they got over the first big crack? I'm sure I didn't imagine it, but I felt there was a change in the temerature: it seemed a degree or two warmer. What could cause that?

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It's been closed for absolutely ages now, so it's a bit disturbing to hear that nothing very much has been happening there. Wonder what the delay is?

I was there recently and took this picture looking up the road



It must be really inconvenient for some people who live in Roslin, the Glen and Rosewell as they have very little choice about how to access where they live, at the moment.

Oh well, that saves me having to upload my own pictures. (I have to say, though, that neither your picture or mine really shows how bad it is. The cracks are 18-24 inches deep in parts.)

When you were up there, did you notice that all the iron gratings over the drains had been removed? (Removed officially? or simply nicked, I wonder.)

I did notice the other day that further up the road, the drain covers had been removed and someone had put large tree branches in the holes

http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Progress-report-on-glen-road.4146532.jp

This was the last time I saw any word about repairs to the road, back in June so who knows what will happen. You have to remember that with the very small amount of money which drivers pay towards the roads they use (VED, fuel tax etc) it will be very difficult for the council / government to find the cash for things like this. If it was in the souht of England, of course that would be a different matter!
I imagine the drain covers were nicked for scrap as this is pretty common now due to the high price of metals - you get at least £150 for a scrap car now whereas not long ago you would have had to pay for it to be taken away!

Almost one year since it was closed and still no indication of anything happening, only mention of "a long term closure" which probably translates to "we can't afford to fix it and hope that everybody will just forget about it!"

Unless anyone else knows any different???

I've fired off an e-mail to the council asking them about progress. I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Well, the news is not quite as good as I had hoped. However, I have now received the following reply to my query

Quote :

I refer to your e-mail enquiry of 12/1/09 regarding the above and can advise that the Geotechnical Consultant engaged by Road Services to produce a design solution for the repair of the area of slippage on the B7003 have informed me that their second design proposal should be available for our consideration by the end of January this year. Unfortunately, the cost for their first design proposal for the relatively short section of road over which the land had slipped, was of the order of £300,000. Given the current financial climate and concerns about a further section of the B7003, which is nearly twice the length of the initial section where the slippage has occurred, we have asked for an effective but reduced cost design solution for the whole. However, indications are that the overall cost might still be in the order of £0.5 million for the whole road. Road Services will however consider the option to repair the obviously failed section and monitor the second section with a view to more work in the future, if necessary. Once the revised design proposal has been evaluated it would be our intention to seeking Capital Funding for the project and if approved, to commencing the repair as soon as practicably possible. I regret that I am unable to give you a firm start date for these works at this time nor an indication of completion date. I apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.

Latest word on Roslin Glen is that there are no plans to do anything with it for at least 18 months (the cooncil are skint of course). There are also plans to close the diversion route via Roslynlee to through traffic which has caused much annoyance to residents of Rosewell who would have to take a major detour via Bonnyrigg or Howgate. I wonder what the council have spent all the council tax they get from those big new houses at Rosewell on?

Seems that we should get an update sometime soon - see article from the Evening News today.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Council-pressed-for-answers-on.5324125.jp

I wonder why it has taken so long for the opposition councillors to ask some questions?

Well, looking back at my previous post of 15 January the revised quote for repairing the necessary section was supposed to be in by the end of January. Hopefully they have now had time to consider it and they will be able to find the money from somewhere.

In case anyone was wondering what was happening with the repairs to Roslyn Glen road, I decided to ask the council for an update. The following is the reply that I received. Don't hold your breath

Quote :

As you may be aware a contract for Professional Services has been let to a firm of Consultants, White, Young Green, to carry out any further investigations considered necessary in order to provide Road Services with long term repair solutions for both the section to the south, where the large crack is, and a section to the north above the hairpin bend where the road edge is cracking at around 0.5 metres from the kerb over approximately 60 linear metres. White, Young Green's brief also includes providing cost estimates for both of these repair solutions and according to their stated programme of works, the report should have been available by the end of March 2010. However, due to the severe weather conditions there has been some slippage to their intended programme with an overrun into April expected, provided there is no more bad weather that would result in yet further delays. Once their report is received and their proposals can be evaluated and approved, a capital bid will be submitted to Council for the necessary funding. Once funding has been confirmed a contract will be prepared and let for the construction phase of the works and on completion, the Roslin Glen Road re-opened to traffic. Unfortunately, until the funding issue has been resolved I am unable to state a timescale for the construction phase.

Very interesting so thanks for that info. I imagine it is going to be a long time before anything happens due to the cooncil's current financial woes (ie: they are skint!)
Maybe once they have sold off everything in Midlothian they might have some spare cash to fix the road

Noticed this week that the Glen road appears on the BBC Travel page as follows:

B7003 Roslin Glen Road Midlothian
both ways between A6094 and B7006 Penicuik Road closed
B7003 Midlothian - Roslin Glen Road closed both ways due to subsidence between A6094 and B7006 Penicuik Road. Diversion in operation - Signed

Last updated: 8th April 2010 at 13:45, started: 8th April 2010, ending: 31st July 2010

I see they have also painted over all the signs so wonder if this is the start of a permanent closure?

Presumably there is still access for those that live down that way though. Otherwise it will mean quite a long walk for them.

I haven't had a chance to read the full article in the paper, but this looks promising
http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Cost-of-Roslin-Glen-Road.6332004.jp

The full article is in this weeks freebie Lothian Times for everyone interested in when the road will re-open.

Almost THREE years on from the initial closure and still no word about if or when the road is going to be fixed! Unless anyone knows different of course - something to remind our prospective MSPs about over the coming months?.
How about putting a tram line up there then they would find the money for it soon enough.

Well, it looks as if there is some good news on the repair of the Roslin Glen road.
According to last weeks Advertiser work should start when the weather improves

While out for a cycle the other day, I noticed that the Roslin Glen Road had been fenced off and there were some roadworks vehicles nearby. It finally looks as if work on the road is about to start according to the Advertiser http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-headlines/roslin_glen_works_begin_1_1559029

An update in the Advertiser - looks like it is getting to be a bigger job all the time

http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-headlines/concerns_over_cost_of_midlothian_road_repair_1_1893684