Action demanded on pothole hazard
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DEMANDS for action have been made on a badly potholed Black Isle road that leads to a doctor’s surgery, church and homes.
Lianne Cumming, who has children attending North Kessock Primary School, said holes on Ferry Brae have become a hazard.
She said: "They’ve patched up the main road to North Kessock but Ferry Brae, which people use to get to school, doctors, the football pitch and church, is shocking. I’ve punctured the tyre of my car in them. They are horrendous. Patching up does not work. You are actually having to swerve on to the other side of the road to try and avoid them."
Ms Cumming, whose parents live on Ferry Brae, said frustrated locals believe the deterioration has gone on far too long.
Black Isle councillor Gordon Adam said more funding from Scottish Government is needed to tackle the massive backlog of potholes and pointed out that an 11-strong team is working flat out on repairs across a huge area. He said the holes were scheduled for repair.
Local MSP Kate Forbes said: "Some of the roads on the Black Isle and in Dingwall resemble the surface of the moon, largely because of the difficult winter cycles of freeze and thaw.
"Whilst budget pressures are always given as a reason for the poor state of the road, it is worth remembering that we are all paying more council tax this year which goes directly to Highland Council coffers, on top of a fair budget settlement from the Scottish Government – the figures are self-explanatory.
"Several weeks ago, the Scottish Government announced an additional £10 million to help councils with the bad winter. So, all in all, the roads are damaging vehicles and posing a safety threat in places and it is the respective organisations’ responsibility to resurface the roads as a matter of urgency."
Council leader Margaret Davidson estimates £30 million a year is needed to keep the area’s roads intact.
