Transport / Concrete road reinstatement only temporary
CONCRETE used to patch up road in the Kames after it was dug up for cabling work is only temporary, the council has confirmed.
Drivers have experienced a bit of a bumpy ride in places going through the Kames in recent weeks after concrete was used by contractors for reinstatement work.
Sections of road between south of Voe and Girlsta have been dug up to allow cabling to be laid for SSEN’s North Mainland reinforcement project, which will allow Sullom Voe Terminal to connect to the grid for the first time.
Shetland Islands Council roads manager Neil Hutcheson confirmed that concrete is being used due to the asphalt batching plant at the Scord quarry being shut for planned maintenance.
“The work has been planned for some time to allow essential replacement of parts of the asphalt mixing tower,” he wrote in an email to a local resident.
“Unfortunately, with the number of construction projects currently underway and planned there was not an ideal time for the scheduling of this maintenance.
“However, the maintenance to the plant is nearing completion and asphalt should be available again from next week.
“The temporary concrete will then be removed and replaced with asphalt.”
Hutcheson said the council’s road inspectors are also monitoring the works to ensure they comply with relevant legislation and codes of practice.
“The current reinstatements, including the asphalt areas, are temporary with the top 50mm of the surface due to be planed out and replaced with a machine laid layer across the full lane width,” he added.
“These reinstatement works are all to be done at SSEN’s cost.”
Hutcheson also said it is SSEN’s view that using the carriageway as part of the cable route was the “only viable option”.
This is due to deep peat and the topography on both sides of the road, with “steep slopes and frequent deep gullies making it impractical to lay the cables”.
Hutcheson said temporary access tracks would have been required for that option.
“SSEN as a statutory undertaker has the statutory right to install apparatus such as cables in a public road,” he added.
“The council cannot prevent the use of the road for this purpose.
“The role of the roads service in this situation is to co-ordinate works in order to minimise disruption and to ensure that the reinstatement of the carriageway is as specified by the code of practice.”
Hutcheson also said that the North Mainland Shetland Reinforcement Project website does not appear to provide updates regarding SSEN’s progress and projected competition dates – something that the SIC will raise when officers meet with the company shortly.
The project has also caused road disruption in the form of the temporary closure of the Dales Lees road, which is often used by people driving to the Toft ferry terminal.
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