Desperate residents of Fodderty near Dingwall call for urgent action to calm traffic in their area
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Residents of Fodderty, between Dingwall and Strathpeffer, say speeding traffic is a serious acident waiting to happen.
Many resort to parking their cars on the busy A834 in a make-shift bid to slow passing traffic down.
The problem, they believe, is the abruptly changing speed limit on the trunk road, which shifts quickly and at irregular intervals between 40mph and 60mph, catching out many inattentive drivers.
They also say roadside speed limit signs are obscured so that drivers cannot always see them in any case.
Local resident Duncan Smith said: “We had an accident back in June that gave many of us a fright when a car crashed into a tree on the road.
“Before that we had a car that ended up on its roof and in the middle of the road.
“People seem to have a lapse of concentration. Both incidents saw the cars written off.
“We are being let down at the moment, and I am surprised that there have not been even more accidents in the area. When you come into Fodderty there are no road markings so traffic whooshes by you at 60, 70 and 80mph.
“For anyone who needs to work on their own property, that sit by the roadside, we are taking our lives in our hands.
“I have certainly nearly been clipped, as have some of my neighbours. We need to park our cars on the road to slow down the traffic.
“The speeds that traffic go on this road will see someone seriously injured or worse if we do not do something to limit the speeds.
“We have been told that to introduce a speed limit will mean a two-year wait. We do not have two years, we need the traffic to slow down now, as someone will die.”
Local councillor Ian Cockburn said he was aware of the issue.
“This is a problem that is continuing to rear its head across the region and we need to see significant change to keep our communities safe,” he said.
“In reality the road needs to be a 40mph all the way into Strathpeffer due to the number of houses on the roadside.”
Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Edward Mountain said: “The number of car accidents as well as near misses along this section of the A834 is truly alarming. Road safety must be improved as a matter of urgency and I am raising this issue with both Police Scotland and the Highland Council.”
