Safe Speed Forums

Direct action threat over A82 upgrade
By Stuart Taylor - Published: 17 November, 2007

LOCHABER councillors are to meet with transport bosses in a bid to prioritise improvements on the notorious A82 trunk road.
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And one local councillor has raised the prospect of direct action to prompt an upgrade of the road – similar to earlier campaigns to upgrade the A830 Fort William to Mallaig route.

At a Highland Council joint ward forum last week, Bob Mitchell, head of trunk roads authority Scotland Transerv, was left in no doubt about the strength of opinion locally for a complete overhaul of the key route linking Fort William to Glasgow and Inverness.

Mr Mitchell outlined the £16million package of works scheduled to begin in 2008 which include a bypass for Crianlarich and the replacement of the 30-year-old "temporary" traffic lights at Pulpit Rock, Loch Lomond-side.

However, when pressed to give details on when the £74million-worth of other crucial works recommended in the A82 Route Action Plan would be implemented, Mr Mitchell was unable to give firm timescales.

He said: "There is a desire to see a certain amount of money allocated for improvements to be carried out. The road is being assessed, with four areas of concentration: accident statistics, lay-by provision, bridge assessments and bends and alignments."

Cllr Brian Murphy, chairman of the Lochaber Transport Forum, said it was "absolutely vital" for the local economy to see the whole of the A82 upgraded. The works scheduled were "just a start", said Cllr Murphy who added that the battle for a complete overhaul of the route had to be stepped up.

"I've certainly got a few ideas about how we can speed things up, and this could even include road blocks. It's how the message got across with regard to the Mallaig road," the Fort William and Ardnamurchan ward councillor said.

Asked during last week's ward forum meeting by Inverlochy & Torlundy Community Council chairman, Andy Anderson, whether the A82 was "fit for purpose", Mr Mitchell responded: "That's a difficult question for me but what I would say is that the road has probably served its purpose."

On the issue of completion of the Fort William A82 bypass or creation of a link road between the town and neighbouring Caol, Mr Mitchell said it was "impossible at the moment to say when or if funds will become available".

Cllr Michael Foxley, meanwhile, has called for a socio-economic study to of the A82 between Crianlarich and Inverness to be carried out by consultants.

It follows the recent publication of a similar report on the "cost benefit analysis" of dualling the A9 between Perth and the Highland capital, which estimated a benefit to the north of Scotland of £1billion over 30 years and the creation of 4,500 jobs.

In a letter to strategic transport agency HITRANS, Cllr Foxley says: "I think they (consultants) will find that the state of the A82 is an even more significant break upon the economy of the Highlands and Islands than is the A9.

"The A82 between Glasgow and Inverness is in a far worse condition than the A9 and is a major constraint on economic development in the West Highlands.

"The section between Tarbet to the north end of Loch Lomond is in an extremely poor condition where it is impossible for two coaches of HGVs to pass each other without one having to stop and the other to slow down.

"The section from Onich to Fort William has seen many accidents occurring annually, some of these being fatal."

Cllr Foxley adds: "Planned works for the A82 are inadequate and years distant. The south Lochaber ward councillors intend to meet soon with roads officials from both Highland Council and the trunk roads authority to carry out a detailed assessment of the A82 between Fort William and Crianlarich and to prioritise sections for improvement as retired councillor Charlie King and I did for the Mallaig road some 20 years ago."

* An economic appraisal commissioned by HITRANS in 2006 concluded that improvements on the A82 could bring 1,000 new jobs to the West Highlands and Islands over the next 20 years, together with £500million of new business investment.

s.taylor@lochaber-news.co.uk

That's a lovely drive, between Glasgow and Fort William. I did it in 2005, and wasn't aware of any problems with the road.

the replacement of the 30-year-old "temporary" traffic lights at Pulpit Rock, Loch Lomond-side.

Funny, I drove past those this year and commented on remembering them going up as a temporary measure.

It's a long single-carriageway road that in summer attracts heavy tourist traffic, including a high number of caravans, and sees a lot of overtaking accidents.

:gatso2: How is the road between Lochailort and Mallaig? Last time I was there in 1997, most of it was single track.

Maybe specifically designed places for ppl to pull into to allow following traffic to pass?

Anybody have any better/other ideas?

Think our friends in the North (Scotland) should mobilise soon as SPECS 3 and new 'speed limit powers' for Scottish Parliament do NOT bode well for drivers there... nor tourists that enjoy a free society, and the open road...

:gatso2: How is the road between Lochailort and Mallaig? Last time I was there in 1997, most of it was single track.

Sadly upgraded it is no longer the 'wonderful roller coaster ride' as you try and follow the steam train !