The condition of roads across Skye, Lochaber and the wider Highlands was thrust into the spotlight at Holyrood after MSP Andrew Baxter challenged the Scottish Government over what he described as an alarming decline in the region’s road network.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch used a question in Parliament to invite the Deputy First Minister to visit Skye and witness the condition of Highland roads first hand.

During the exchange, Mr Baxter highlighted Highland Council’s estimated road repair backlog of £233 million and noted that only £22.5 million has been allocated for capital road improvements this year.

The state of roads remains one of the most frequently raised concerns among Highland residents, with motorists, businesses and communities regularly highlighting potholes, damaged road surfaces and the cost of maintaining vehicles travelling on rural routes.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Baxter questioned whether current funding levels would make a meaningful difference to the scale of the problem.

Andrew Baxter said:

“Across Skye, Lochaber and the wider Highlands, residents and businesses are seeing roads deteriorate at an alarming rate.

“Before the Cabinet Secretary heads off on her summer holiday, will she join me on a road trip to Skye to see the reality for herself, and explain why the Better Surfaces Fund will be anything more than a drop of tar in ever-growing potholes?”

The issue extends well beyond Skye, with road maintenance continuing to be a major challenge for local authorities across the Highlands, where vast distances, harsh weather and heavy use place significant pressure on infrastructure.

Following the parliamentary exchange, Mr Baxter said poor road conditions were not only damaging vehicles but raising concerns about safety.

Andrew Baxter said:

“There are places where our highland roads are more like the surface of the moon than those of a modern and developed country.

“This is not just a question of being an appealing location for tourists but about basic public safety too.

“I’d be delighted to take the Deputy First Minister on a tour of our beautiful part of the world and highlight some of the challenges that we face, including the poor state of our roads.

“The Scottish Government ultimately hold the purse strings for local councils.

“They need to make sure that the highlands is properly supported to deliver a well maintained road network.”

Road maintenance has become an increasingly prominent issue across the Highlands in recent years, with local communities frequently calling for greater investment to address growing repair backlogs and improve transport links across the region.

For many Highland motorists, the challenge is not simply about smoother journeys but ensuring roads remain safe, reliable and fit for the communities and businesses that depend on them every day.