Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has today, compelled the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee to investigate whether the A890 and A832 – including the Stromeferry Bypass – should be adopted as a trunk roads.
Following Ms Grant’s convincing contribution, the Committee are going to the write to the Scottish Government, Highland Council and other stakeholders including Visit Scotland to gather their views on the adoption of both roads to the Trunk network.
The Committee were today considering two new petitions relating to the adoption of the A890 and A832 as trunk roads – which includes the Stromeferry by-pass.
Ms Grant attended the committee and contributed in full support of both petitions.
In response to these petitions being presented, Transport Scotland wrote to the Committee outlining guiding principles of their designation of trunk roads.
This included to:
“Provide the users with a coherent and continuous system of routes, which serve destinations of importance to industry, commerce, agriculture and tourism.”
They then said that they had no plans to adopt either of these roads to the Trunk Road network.
In Ms Grant’s rebuttal she listed why she believes the A890 and A832 fulfils this criteria including access to hospital care, secondary education, tourism, farming, aquaculture and renewables.
She argued:
“This impacts on all services and the local economy.
“The cost of improving safety at the by-pass or rerouting the road is beyond the financial reach of Highland Council which has the greatest mileage of road to cover already, much of it falling into disrepair.”
Speaking after Committee Rhoda Grant MSP said:
“I am encouraged that the Public Petitions Committee are going to look into this further and I thank them for listening to my contribution.
“Highland Council do not have the financial means to deliver a permanent solution to this route and I believe these routes fulfil the criteria to be adopted by Transport Scotland.
“In reality, it should have been adopted years ago.
“Until a workable solution or change occurs, we will continue at this impasse and that is unacceptable.
“I am grateful that Derek Noble began this petition and I will continue to monitor this petition as it continues through Parliament in the hope communities finally get much needed answers.”
