Motorists on Gorgie Road have raised dozens of issues with road defects on the major thoroughfare after work to repair the cracked surface caused further issues. Drivers are ‘swerving’ to avoid potholes while pedestrians are forced to step over flattened sandbags at a crossing on a pockmarked Edinburgh street. Motorists on Gorgie Road have blasted “shoddy workmanship” after raising dozens of complaints with city chiefs over damage to the tarmac. Locals told how heavy vehicles rolling over the top of the surface, which has been laid on cobblestones, ‘shredded’ the material allowing frozen water to expand and crack the road. It has left parts of the busy street ‘broken’ and drivers demanding repairs be properly carried out. Councillor Ashley Graczyk, who represents the Sighthill-Gorgie ward, said the state of the road and "trip hazard" sandbags - placed to protect the area from flooding - had been raised with the local authority. One resident said: "It’s utterly unacceptable. "Most of the tarmac is actually on top of cobble stones. So it's laid then you have HGV including Buses going through the junction and the tarmac gets shredded and then holes appear, water gets in, freezes and expands and the it all just gets wrecked in months."
In November, Edinburgh Live reported how the council faces payouts of more than £260,000 to motorists who claim potholed roads damaged their vehicles in the previous 12 months. City transport chiefs have already shelled out over £24,000 to settle a handful of the claims lodged since October 2020.
Cllr Graczyk added: "I have had many local residents raising concerns regarding the absolute state of the junction on Gorgie Road and Robertson Avenue. "Drivers are literally swerving almost into each other to avoid the giant potholes. "This road has already just recently been laid again and I’m afraid this is just poor shoddy workmanship. "Also, the sand bags are a tripping hazard for everyone including people with prams, zimmers and wheelchairs. I have raised these issues with the City of Edinburgh Council as a matter of urgency to be addressed ASAP." City of Edinburgh Council has been contacted for comment. Published in Edinburgh Live | 15th March 2022
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