Dunblane residents expressed concerns over road drainage this week when flooding closed the town’s main exit road for a number of days.
The Stirling Road (B8033) southbound, which joins the Keir roundabout, has been shut since Thursday January 12 – the second time in a fortnight.
Stirling Council this week pointed to high rainfall falling on already saturated ground.
The southbound carriageway remained shut near the entrance to Kippenross Estate for safety reasons as the Observer went to press yesterday (Tuesday). It had been shut at the same spot just before New Year due to flooding.
Dunblane Community Council chairperson Ailsa Gray told the Observer on Monday: “The pool of water on the southbound carriageway is clearly not receding. The water is still there today.
“There is an ongoing issue with blocked drainage gullies on the road - not just on the way to the Keir roundabout.
“There are other areas on the B8033 in the Dunblane area prone to flooding, like near the Queen Victoria School junction and by Glassingall. Drains seem to be blocked very quickly. Short term we need this flooding issue fixed - but a long-term solution is also required too, especially with more large scale housing development in Dunblane and associated hardstanding.”
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Ms Gray also pointed to road safety concerns as more traffic was going through Dunblane town centre, and on to Doune Road, en route to the A9 due to the Stirling Road flooding.
Dunblane and Bridge of Allan Green councillor Alasdair Tollemache said: “I have stressed to council officers the importance of having this vital link for Dunblane reopened and the drainage issues addressed and resolved as soon as possible.
“Hopefully the road will be open by Wednesday this week. There is also the wider point of the increasing effects of climate change on our infrastructure. We must make resilience a top priority at a national and local level in particular our drainage systems must be for fit for purpose and properly maintained in Dunblane and elsewhere.”
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “Higher than average levels of rainfall, saturated grounds and water from adjacent land is impacting on the road drainage system on this stretch of the B8033.
“There has been no reduction to the level of service relating to road drainage, with road gullies across the council area cleared twice a year. A drainage investigation is ongoing and we are working as fast as we can to find a solution. We regret the inconvenience this is causing to the travelling public and are maintaining dialogue with the local community council.”
