Demand grows for road action
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A Sutherland councillor has added his voice to a call for urgent action to be taken over an accident blackspot in the county.
Jim McGillivray, ward councillor for East Sutherland and Edderton, joined with Balvraid resident and long-time road campaigner Mary Gall, who is seeking a 50mph speed limit on the stretch of trunk road running from Evelix to the Mound.
The route contains the notorious Cambusavie bends, a series of twisting and narrow corners.
The issue has been given fresh impetus by a fatal accident, which happened a mile south of The Mound junction on July 31.
Cllr McGillivray has made a plea for action to Scottish Transport Secretary Michael Matheson and local MSP Gail Ross. He has asked Margaret Davidson, Leader of Highland Council to give her support.
He said: “It is now time the professional roads and transport engineers who have responsibility for this patch, give it their full attention and come up with a range of answers. The geography of this stretch of road will never be addressed in my time, if indeed ever, but there must be ways of putting the hazards of the Cambusavie Bends right in drivers’ faces.”
Cllr McGillivray is suggesting that immediate actions which could be taken include refreshing fading Slow signs on the route and removing roadside trees for a safer exit in case of vehicles leaving the road.
Transport Scotland was due to meet with Police Scotland and A9 managers Bear Scotland at the accident spot to identify if there was a need for “further road safety investigation”.
n Turn to p19 for Cllr McGillivray’s The Way I See It column.
