A9 CLOSURE RISK

The front page of the John O’Groat journal today (131023) reports that Cllr Matthew Reiss has highlighted the dangers we face, dependent as we are on the A9 as our only practical route to and from Inverness. He said:-

“The recent heavy rainfall in Badenoch and further south should, again, remind the Scottish Government that the current route north of Dornoch is, in some areas, unstable, poorly engineered and has inadequate maintenance.

“Ditches at known trouble spots regularly overflow, whilst the narrow bridge at Culgower is an extreme hazard. Landslides have also occurred at Scrabster.

“In my judgement, were we to experience similar rainfall levels to those seen in Badenoch and Lochaber there is a real risk of parts of the road being lost.”

Cllr Reiss has called upon MSP Maree Todd to take the lead in seeking urgent upgrades to this road. Time and again CHAT have said that mothers face huge risks being obliged to travel to and from Raigmore on this torturous route. The time for action on maternity services in the far north, and substantial improvements to the A9 and A99 is long overdue.