Highland Council admits 20mph signs on A96 in Nairn were an 'error'

The appearance of 20mph signs on part of the A96 as it passes through Nairn caused confusion for some when they appeared last week.

The signs appeared last Wednesday though, as the Courier reported, when queried about them both Highland Council and Transport Scotland said they expected works to start in the coming months to erect the signs – despite them already being in place and causing some amount of local comment and query.

The signs had then disappeared by the following day.

Today a spokeswoman for Highland Council confirmed the signs – though they are coming to Nairn eventually – were erected in error, ahead of schedule, as part of a much larger roll-out of slower speed limits in built-up areas across the region

She said: "It was an error from a team who have been working extremely hard to deliver 20mph speed limits to 123 Highland communities in a short timescale.

"Ultimately the team will be delivering the A96 signs.

"The original plan was they would be delivered simultaneously but there has been a delay in Transport Scotland’s Traffic Order which is why this has not been the case.

"They will be in place as soon as possible."

After the Courier posted our original story online one wag used the opportunity to draw attention to another Nairn roads problem – namely the notorious congestion on the road through town at peak times as Nairn continues to wait for its long-promised bypass.

Jimmy Hendry said simply: "I'd love to be able to go 20mph through Nairn."

The full details of the programme and the areas to which the new limits will be implemented can all be found at www.highland.gov.uk/20mph

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