Strome 'final solution' urged as road reopens
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LOCAL authority chiefs are being pressed to share their plans for a "permanent solution" to a rockfall-prone Ross-shire route.
The appeal by MSP Rob Gibson to Highland Council chief executive Alistair Dodds comes the day the Strome bypass was re-opened to traffic following a four-month period of major disruprion.
The MSP points out that for "decades dangerous rock falls have occurred again and again". He added: "This points to the urgent need for a permanent solution.
“Promises were made to local people and in council that options for a permanent solution would be published by this time. It is potentially a life and death matter so I am asking for this to be made a top priority in the Council’s road programme.
“The public deserves to have peace of mind that the most urgent attention be given to re-route the A890 between Attadale and Achmore to end the fears of rock falls on a key route in Wester Ross.”
The A890 road between Lochcarron and Kyle/Plockton reopened to all traffic for 24-hour movement on Monday, with only minor delays to allow the removal of vegetation to be completed.
It is hoped that all works will be completed and traffic restrictions removed by Friday, May 4.
This will be for the first time since a rock fall on December 22 last year that the road has been able to fully re-open.
Earlier, Neil Gillies, director of Transport Environmental and Community Services said: “We are coming to the end of a very challenging project. I would like to thank the contractors, TRAC Engineering Ltd, our consultants, URS, and our own staff for completing the work so effectively and Scotrail and Network Rail and the local ferry and bus operators and Alba Traffic Management for their support throughout in providing and managing alternative transport arrangements.
“My thanks again go to local communities for their patience and understanding during the period of closure.”
