Kirkintilloch Link Road
Posted on 4 Apr 2008
Monday 3 March to Friday 28 March - This diary entry covers a 4 week period which for me included a weeks holiday and the Easter weekend. It is amazing how the loss of a few days at work creates an intense catch-up period in which some tasks such as the Director’s Diary tend to be delayed by urgent operational work. Anyway I think things are just about back to normal so here is a catch up with the diary.
Inevitably at this stage of the procurement process there has been an intense period of decision making meetings between the various parties who have a say in when and under what circumstances the construction contract for the KLR can be let. With a project as large and complex as the KLR finalising and recording all the consents and legal arrangements can take quite a bit of time and involves many senior people from a number of different organisations. Final arrangements relating to land issues, funding, statutory consents and administrative arrangements have been progressed over the last few weeks. I am very hopeful that it won’t be too long now before a construction contract award can be made.
The enabling works have progressed well. Tree removal and pruning is now complete just before the bird nesting season starts. The Contractor will now be concentrating mainly on the Japanese Knotweed removal. The tree removal works have highlighted the need to move forward with our community consultation / information provision strategy. In a number of areas affected residents were unhappy about lack of consultation on the tree removal works. I take these criticisms seriously and have to admit that I did not properly think through the likely public reaction to these works. It has always been our intention to set up a series of Resident’s Forums to provide a structure for the community to be consulted on upcoming issues and to get information. However my intention was to get these Forums going once the main construction contract had been let. I am now having to rethink this approach.
