Speed limit plans for straight between Ardgay and Bonar Bridge taking 'too long', says newly elected councillor
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Newly elected Sutherland councillor Michael Baird is pushing to find out what is happening about a move to introduce a speed limit and possibly other speed reduction measures, on the straight section of the A836 between Ardgay and Bonar Bridge.
Local communities campaigned for the speed restriction to be dropped from 60mph to 30mph on the mile-long straight, but roads officials said a review did not support such a 'blanket reduction'.
The issue was discussed by Sutherland County Committee last November when chairman Cllr Richard Gale suggested a compromise involving an extension of the 30mph limit at the Bonar Bridge end as far as the Kyle of Sutherland Hub, with the remainder of the stretch coming under a 40mph restriction.
But roads officials advised that this would require costly traffic calming measures such as "speed humps" and "build-outs".
Councillor Baird, who represents the north, west and central Sutherland ward, said he had attempted to ascertain where the plans stood at a ward business meeting this week, but had not been able to do so because of time constraints.
He said a further meeting was to be held with roads officials at which he hoped he and his ward colleagues would be given a clear picture of the situation regarding the stretch of road.
"This has been rolling on and rolling on for too long and we need to come to some resolution because the boy racers are still going up and down that straight at 70-80mph," he said.
