Caithness campaigners step up pressure on survey of Highland roads
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Caithness campaigners are calling on Highland Council to release details of an annual survey assessing the state of its roads "without further delay".
Caithness Roads Recovery (CRR) submitted a Freedom of Information request to the local authority on February 7 asking when the next Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey would be made public.
The group also wanted to know the position occupied by Highland Council in the list of 32 Scottish local authorities.
The latest available figures relate to 2021, when it was found that Highland was ranked 26th for performance – a significant drop since 2011 when it was 11th.
CRR first tried to find out how Highland Council had fared in the latest report in December 2022, but enquiries by local councillor Matthew Reiss were met with the response that the report was being "sense-checked".
CRR co-founder Iain Gregory said at the time: "I have absolutely no idea what that means, but I do know that Caithness roads are in a state of collapse and that the public are entitled to be made aware of the content of this important survey."
Following the Freedom of Information request more than two months ago, a Highland Council response on March 10 said that data from the Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey was "being assessed" and that "we appreciate your understanding while we compile the data".
Mr Gregory wrote back on March 28, pointing out that his questions had yet to be answered and asking for a full response.
On April 3 the council replied again, this time indicating that the report "is intended for publication later in the year".
Mr Gregory said this week: "I find this rather confusing. Since we first started asking questions some months ago we have variously been told, via Councillor Reiss, to whom we are deeply grateful, and in response to our Freedom of Information request, that the data was being 'sense-checked'; that the data was 'being assessed'; that our patience was appreciated, etc. And we are now told it is 'intended for publication later in the year'.
"As far as we are aware, the report has now been with the council for several months. One presumes that it will provide the information as requested, and that Highland Council will have been assessed and rated accordingly.
"There are 32 local authorities in Scotland and it will be interesting to see the position of Highland Council in the league table.
"I sincerely hope that the information will be published without further delay, preventing the need to refer the matter to the Scottish Information Commissioner."
A Highland Council spokesperson said: "The results are currently being analysed and are not yet publicly available.
"A members' briefing will be prepared as soon as the results are ready. This will be followed by a news release.
"Our Highland road network is considerably larger than other local authorities and more analysis is required."
