Inverness Courier calls on community to help in bid to reduce deaths on the A82
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Today the Inverness Courier is launching its Make it Safe campaign in a bid to reduce deaths on the A82.
It comes after a 66-year-old man was killed in an accident on the road near Glengloy on Monday.
And Melina Rosa Päprer (24), from Luneberg in Germany, died in an accident on the A82 near Borlum Farm, Drumnadrochit, on October 12.
These are the latest tragedies on what has been dubbed the “Forgotten Road” and it has to stop.
Our campaign aims to get the government to take action to substantially improve the road.
It has been backed by Samantha Cousin (46), whose son Rhys (25) was killed in an A82 accident alongside his wife Gemma (26) and daughters Peyton (3) and Heidi (1) in February.
“We cannot sit back any longer,” she said.
“I have been told that the Scottish Government has not earmarked this road for any investment in its priorities under the Strategic Transport Priorities Review (STPR) for the next five years. Well, they should think again!”
She says she cannot find peace until significant investment is made.
The A82 trunk road between Glasgow and Inverness via Fort William has recorded the most accidents in Scotland, according to new figures. The data, provided by the Scottish Government to the Scottish Lib Dems, reveals there were 55 serious collisions and 18 fatalities between January 2017 and summer 2019.
Miss Cousin says every death brings excruciating pain that is indescribable – but feels no one is listening to her.
“Why on earth is the A82 known throughout the Highlands, and the rest of the country, as the most dangerous road in Scotland and the government, as I understand it, doesn’t want to put a single penny into improving it?
“It is nothing less than a disgrace.
“It is terrible that it has taken all these deaths and still no one is listening.
“Every single death on the road is preventable. I hope that sinks in.
“Whether it is driver behaviour, or road quality, or soft verges or an adverse camber, or anything else, not one of these people needed to die. It is no comfort at all when someone says ‘it was their time’. Was it hell – they were killed on the road and it was preventable.
“After you have to go there and claim your family after they have been killed, or read a report into their multiple injuries, or bury your babies then come back to me and tell me that the road is safe. It isn’t now, and it wasn’t then.”
The Courier wants readers’ support to ask the Scottish Government to set up a parliamentary committee to look at the A82.
In order for that to happen, the newspaper will be launching a petition to hear your concerns.
“I cannot sleep at night, every death is like a stab to the heart,” Miss Cousin said.
“I feel as though I have not done enough and the government has not done enough. Is it even listening, or are we too far away from the centre of Scotland for it to hear us?
“If their kids were driving on this road they would do something about it.
“Every year we hear of resurfacing works but when was the last time you heard about actual substantial investment in the A82? Never. You can’t stick a plaster over the cracks and expect anything to change. If you want to stop killing people, or injuring them for life, we need real change.”
