Police heed Bonar Bridge resident's plea for action on A836 speedsters

A BONAR Bridge resident’s plea to police to crack down on drivers speeding on the one-mile straight between his home village and Ardgay appears to have been successful.

Michael Baird appealed by email to Chief Inspector Jamie Wilson, north Highland area commander, for action to be taken to control driver behaviour on the A836 between the two communities.

And now Chief Inspector Wilson has asked one of his officers to “create a small enforcement/educational/preventative operation” covering the route.

Mr Baird received an email from Chief Inspector Wilson to this effect.

Mr Baird’s intervention follows a decision by Sutherland County Committee to continue to push for the speed limit along the entire stretch to be reduced from 60mph to 30mph.

The two communities have been lobbying hard for the lower speed limit to be put in place.

Roads officials undertook a review and a report was presented to Sutherland councillors at their meeting last month.

But the report said that applying a 30mph speed limit to the entire stretch could not be justified under the terms of the guidance and legislation governing speed limits.

Instead, roads officials recommended that the 30mph speed limit be extended from Bonar Bridge as far as the Kyle of Sutherland Hub and then a 50mph restriction be put in place on the rest of the route.

But councillors were reluctant to rubberstamp the report and instead asked that the issue be referred to the Highland Council's legal department to see if they could come up with any suggestions.

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