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Dingwall residents suffer the Hill Street blues as cracks blamed on heavy vehicles and state of the road


By Louise Glen

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Sean Kennedy is amongst residents unimpressed as the problem rumbles on. Picture: Callum Mackay
Sean Kennedy is amongst residents unimpressed as the problem rumbles on. Picture: Callum Mackay

RESIDENTS on a busy street in Ross-shire's county town are "sick to the back teeth" of shaking every time a bus goes by and have asked Highland Council to intervene.

Homes and businesses in Hill Street in Dingwall are reporting cracks, falling masonry and vibrations throughout their homes and now want the local authority to resurface the street.

The problem, that has now gone on for years, has again raised its head as the easing of Covid restrictions has seen the return of heavier traffic which fed-up residents say is damaging homes.

Elaine Maclennan, who runs The Barber Shop from her home on Hill Street, said: "Our houses are over a 100 years old and are suffering because of traffic in the street.

"There is no harling left on one of my exterior walls, as every time a bus or a heavy vehicle goes long the street some drops off.

"There is a crack in my kitchen wall. I have cracks appearing in the house, and while that worries me greatly it is the damage I can not see that really worries me.

"There are 21 properties in the street that are of concern. This is not a small problem that is going to go away."

She added: "I have had a structural engineer out to the house who has told me that I need to have the house underpinned, he has also told me there is a grant to do this.

"But my fear is that will not resolve the problem. It will again only be treating the symptom and not the cause.

"I can never sell my home, because the home report will point out all these concerns."

Publican Sean Kennedy, who lives on the street, said: "It has been three years since we originally raised our concerns with the local authority, we had meetings and we were told something would be done.

"Mr Mohammed at the top of the street has had some remedial works completed. But the problem is still there."

Saying that Highland Council had undertaken a traffic survey, and councillors and council officers, including the head of roads, had had site meeting with residents, when promises were made about finding a solution some three years ago – since then nothing has been done.

He said: "Hill Street is a busy thoroughfare with bus traffic and Ross Country traffic as well as HGVs and vans and the road is just not structurally sound to take the high volume of road use.

"During the lockdown we were able to relax a little bit as the traffic was greatly reduced, but now that it is building up again the problems with vibrations and cracks in people's homes are back on the agenda."

He added: "The street is desperately needing to be refortified, and the culverts need to be strengthened.

"The road needs to be properly resurfaced, and the council needs to engage with householders about the damage that has been done."

Dingwall Councillor Margaret Paterson said she was upset to hear that residents were still having serious problems.

She said: "I am really deeply disappointed to hear this as I thought the council had rectified problems as far as they could.

"It is a busy street and the vibrations are terrible, It is not acceptable for the people who live there.

"I will speak to the council officer, and I would ask the residents to contact me."

A spokeswoman for Highland Council said the local authority had undertaken "extensive monitoring and investigation work".


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