'Abandoned' crashed car on A9 in Highlands winds up immortalised on Google Street View after red-tape hell leaves its recovery in limbo for months
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A LONG-abandoned car which has been half buried in bushes next to a major A9 roundabout for months has now sat there so long that it's been digitally immortalised on Google Maps.
A white Mazda saloon has been sat among small trees off the Ardullie Roundabout at the northern end of the Cromarty Bridge ever since leaving the road early this year in what appears to have been a minor one-vehicle crash.
But, despite "police aware" tape making it clear that various authorities know of the vehicle's presence, it has sat untouched for months.
And the seemingly endless wait for its removal from the scene has taken on a somewhat farcical air in recent weeks.
First its semi-permanent presence saw it briefly turned into an impromptu advertising billboard for a travelling funfair's promotional poster a few weeks ago.
And now it has wound up on Google Street View after the tech behemoth's camera cars made their most recent pass of the area.
This dubious digital honour for the abandoned car has sparked incredulity among some locally, who have hit out at the farcical delay in removing the eyesore, and potential hazard, from the side of a busy roundabout on the popular North Coast 500.
Cromarty Firth ward councillor Maxine Smith is one of those who wants to see action, and has hit out at the delays, blaming a merry-go-round of different organisations, none of which she says seem eager to take responsibility for it.
"I'm also fed up of seeing that car at the Ardullie roundabout," she said. "I've been emailing council officers for several weeks, but the problem is as follows.
"The car is on private land, owned by Ardullie House on the hill. It's on a trunk road so managed by the Scottish Government's Bear Scotland. As a councillor they tend to ignore me. I have no direct contact and they only answer MSPs."
She continued: "It's an eyesore and detracts from our amazing Highland scenery. I'm hoping by your publication raising it Bear Scotland will act and have it removed."
The independent councillor added that when she'd contacted the likes of Bear Scotland she'd often be on hold "for ages trying to get past their officers", and added that the council's environmental health team "have no power to move it as it's not on council land" and "so I've run out of options and am hoping our MSPs will deal with it as they have more clout than me".
Approached for comment, Highland Council said its environmental health department deals with abandoned vehicles, but added that as the car had been taped by Police Scotland, that the force would need to be contacted for an update, saying that, as a result of the tape: "At this time, the vehicle would not be classed as abandoned by the council."
Bear Scotland was also approached in its role as the body which maintains the A9 on behalf of Transport Scotland. A spokesman said; "This is a Police Scotland matter and they are arranging recovery of the vehicle."
Police Scotland was contacted to clarify if the vehicle's recovery was their responsibility, and for a timescale regarding the car's removal, but did not reply before going to print.
– What do you think? Are you fed up seeing the car? Who do you think should be responsible for moving it? Email newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk
