Councillors agree to spent extra £20m on roads across region
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More than £20 million of extra cash is to be spent on roads in the Highlands.
Highland Council’s economy and infrastructure committee agreed the distribution of the cash last Thursday.
Some £3.7 million is to be spent targeting the larger, more costly schemes, where significant investment may be required to improve the existing network.
Chairwoman of the committee, Cllr Trish Robertson, said: “The increased spending on roads infrastructure reflects our commitment to invest as much as we can on improving our road network. This is a high priority for us, our communities and fundamental to connectivity and the entire economy of the Highlands.
“We have the largest network of roads of any local authority and our staff have to deal with some of the most severe weather in the UK so this investment is very welcome and will go some way to addressing work that is needed.”
Among the £20 million, some £3.6 million a year will be distributed across the council’s usual “operational areas”, which uses road condition surveys to assess local priorities. Area road managers will consult councillors on their proposals for the next two years. Elsewhere, some £100,000 per year will be allocated to each of the council’s wards, with projects proposed by councillors and then taken before the local area committee for final approval.
And £500,000 will be spent on specialised vehicles to help in maintenance of the network.
Efforts to promote active travel will also result in £200,000 per year being spent on support for potential funding bids.
Elsewhere, out of a “base allocation” of £7.2million, some £5.2million will be spent across the region on resurfacing works, with £650,000 allocated for bridge maintenance, £500,000 for match funding in support of bids made under the Strategic Timber Transport Schemes, and £850,000 for schemes involving road marking, signage, safety fencing, winter drainage and footways.
The Highland Council area has the longest road network in the UK with 4000 miles of roads, 1000 miles of footpaths and 1400 bridges.
