Upgrade to Loch Ness lay-by will cost £1m
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
SAFETY work on the southernmost 30-metre section of the main lay-by alongside Loch Ness is expected to cost around £1 million.
A retaining wall at the Wellington lay-by has to be either strengthened or rebuilt before the 140-metre-long pull-in, just south of Lochend, can be fully re-opened.
Metal crash barriers restricting access off the busy A82 were originally put up in December 2008 after a landslide caused part of the retaining wall to collapse.
The lay-by, which is used by thousands of tourists throughout the summer, will be shut completely again on Monday to allow £30,000 of work to be carried out so the closed-off 80-metre northern section can be opened for parking.
This adds to a 30-metre section which is the only part currently open, despite £235,000 already being spent.
There is no date for when the remaining southern closed section will re-open and Transport Scotland, responsible for the trunk road, said a feasibility study for further repairs was ongoing.
An announcement by Scottish transport minister Keith Brown in June acknowledged action had been prompted by local campaigning, which included The Inverness Courier’s Get It Sorted! campaign.
The northern section was due to be open earlier this month but it was delayed because of the close proximity of a BT cable to the foundations of the posts for a safety barrier which will be re-positioned next week.
“Safety is our top priority,” said a Transport Scotland spokeswoman. “It was necessary to plan the works carefully and liaise with BT.
“The remainder of the lay-by is supported by a retaining wall that is in a poor condition and it is being closely monitored.”
Aird and Loch Ness councillor Drew Hendry has suggested Transport Scotland holds talks with the local community about the future of the lay-by.
“We certainly don’t want it left as an unfinished piece of work,” he said. “If local people are in agreement it may be that work could be done to at least make it look finished rather than as a work in progress for many more years because that kind of spend does make it look as though it would be a long battle to get it done.”
