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Sign A82 petition as your gift to Highlands


By Louise Glen

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Samantha Cousin. Picture: Gary Anthony
Samantha Cousin. Picture: Gary Anthony

Pressure is growing on the Scottish Government to address serious problems with one of the Highlands' most important roads – and you can help by showing some festive goodwill.

The Courier's own petition calling for improvements to the A82 garnered almost 1500 signatures and earlier this month we took our Make it Safe campaign to the next stage, lodging a demand for action with the Scottish Parliament's public petitions committee.

This week the committee confirmed it will consider our call at a meeting on January 13.

Now, as a Christmas present to all those who have to travel on the road – as well as all those who have lost loved ones on the route – we need you to add your name to this second petition to ensure politicians understand the full extent of public concern.

With an average of one death per month on the arterial route, and at least two serious accidents every week, the petition on the parliamentary website lays bare the situation.

"When there is an accident inquiry after a death on the road we are often told it was not the fault of the road, but the road is still unsafe," it reads.

"In the words of someone who lost multiple family members in one day on the road: 'we want to make sure we have done everything we can to make this road safe, in order that no one else dies on the road'.

"Unless the Scottish Government commits to upgrading the road, we are fearful that it will continue to hold the mantle of ‘The Forgotten Road’.

"The road is a commute for some, it is a tourist route, it is a pathway for school kids, it is a place of work for both road users and those who work on the side of the road.

"It is time to make it safe on the A82, and make sure that it is not the poor cousin of the A9. It is plagued with problems, and it is time for the Scottish Government to take it seriously."

So far, more than 125 people have signed the new petition, which MSPs on the petitions committee will consider when deciding whether or not to hear further evidence on the issue.

So whether or not you are one of the hundreds who have already signed the Courier's own petition, if you want to see action on the A82 you need to sign this one too.

The closing date for signatures is January 5.

Many of those who have already added their names have left comments explaining exactly why something has to be done.

Anna Graham said: "As one of the busiest roads in Scotland it needs upgrading now."

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William James MacLeod said: "The A82 is not fit for purpose and has been neglected while other projects get money thrown at them ie the A9."

Samantha Cousin lost four members of her family – Rhys (25), his wife Gemma (26) and their children Peyton (3) and Heidi (1) – in an accident on the A82 last February.

The family would have celebrated Heidi's second birthday this week.

Mrs Cousin said of the parliamentary petition: "This is the next step towards justice for all those who have lost family members on that road.

"The road is unsafe, people are frightened to travel on it and we need to get the Scottish Government to take our concerns seriously."

To sign the Upgrade the A82 petition, visit www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01846


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