Highland community figures 'will continue to press' for A82 safety improvements
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WORRIED community figures will "continue to press" Scottish transport chiefs for vital safety improvements to the A82 following a recent call for speed limit cuts from one lucky crash survivor.
Aird and Loch Ness councillor David Fraser was speaking after a meeting this week between Scottish transport chiefs and concerned community figures.
This A82 safety steering group features representation from the Fort Augustus, Glen Urquhart and Inverness West community councils and was also attended by Cllr Fraser among others.
He said: "Any safety improvements that can be introduced along the A82 would be very much welcomed.
Related: When will 'deadly' A82 stop being the Forgotten Road?
The councillor added that the meeting had been a "positive" one "in terms of the exchange of ideas, where all parties are coming from, and it's been agreed that the community councils' safety group will provide further information to Transport Scotland."
He continued: "I think it is important for people to know that community councils, and their [Highland] councillors are continuing to press for road safety measures all the way from Fort Augustus to Inverness."
Bill Smart, who is a member of Glen Urquhart Community Council and was representing the various community councils at the meeting with Transport Scotland, also felt the meeting had been "productive".
He added that "discussions were held on speed limits and would continue to be part of discussions going forward" but that it was early days and too early to say what safety improvements might be made.
Cllr Fraser and Mr Smart were speaking just days after crash survivor Daniel Simpson called for reduced speed limits on some sections of the route to improve safety.
Mr Simpson made the plea after a terrifying head-on smash near Abriachan Nursery late last month.
Luckily, both he and the driver of the other vehicle only suffered minor injuries in the collision. But Mr Simpson, recalling the moment he realised a crash was inevitable, said he feared he was going to die.
And, with the roadside rock face and waters of Loch Ness making it all but impossible for drivers to take evasive action, he believes lower speed limits at known accident black spots is of vital importance.
Responding to Mr Simpson's concerns, transport minister Kevin Stewart told the Inverness Courier that the Scottish Government "remains committed" to improving safety on the country's roads, and said it had set out "ambitious targets" to slash the numbers of people being killed.
But he said it was "too early" into the ongoing review process to determine where on the trunk road network new safety measures and restrictions may be introduced.
He said: “Road safety is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. One life lost on Scotland’s roads is one too many. We remain committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland now and in the future.
“We have published an ambitious Road Safety Framework for the next decade. The framework sets out a compelling long-term goal for road safety, Vision Zero, where there are zero fatalities and injuries on Scotland’s roads by 2050. We have also set ambitious interim targets, where the number of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads will be halved by 2030.
“We are continuing to work with partners to deliver a wide range of road safety initiatives aimed at reducing road casualties in Scotland and are developing programmes to target priority groups and locations over coming years. The recently published Strategic Transport Projects Review includes provision for a National Speed Management Review. This will consider how speed can be most effectively managed to reduce casualties, support active travel and reduce emissions. It is too early to say what the outcomes of the review itself will be.”
