Call for more investigation over 'alarming' hole in Thurso street
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A gaping hole that has opened up in a Thurso street has been described as "quite alarming" by a local Highland councillor.
Barriers have been in place at the affected area near the top of Sir Archibald Road, near its junction with the A836 and across from Sir George's Park, since a problem was first identified last month.
Councillor Ron Gunn (Thurso and Northwest Caithness) says more investigation is needed as there is evidence that nearby ground has begun to sink.
He went to look at the location on Monday morning.
“It was quite a big hole, to be honest," Councillor Gunn said. "I went back in the afternoon and I spoke to the nearby neighbours, and I would say the hole had grown since I was there in the morning.
“I'm not an expert on it but it's obvious that there is very little support. It's quite a deep hole and you can look right into it like a cave, so it is quite alarming.
"I spoke to the immediate neighbours and they said that recently they had flooding which they'd never had before, and you can see that the wall has sunk a wee bit and the ground has sunk a wee bit.
“There's also an electrical substation about 50 yards away. I didn't go in, but there appeared to be a couple of small holes in it as well.
“There definitely seems to be a problem with flooding or water in that area.
“A lot of heavy vehicles go down that road. On the left-hand side there's quite a lot of potholes so the traffic is inclined to cross over and go a bit nearer to that crater, so there's more weight going on that half of the road."
Councillor Gunn added: "I spoke to the foreman of the roads department and he said they'd had a look, they'd put the barriers up, and Scottish Water has had a look as well. It needs further investigation."
Campaign group Caithness Roads Recovery had highlighted the issue in a social media post at the weekend.
Co-founder Iain Gregory said: "We were contacted on Sunday by a resident of the street who said that what appeared initially to be a pothole a few weeks ago had now become a gaping pit.
"We were informed that the council had been made aware recently, and had put plastic barriers around it, covering the road and pavement. But residents were becoming concerned about just how bad it was, how far it extended underground, and when remedial action was likely to take place."
The hole appeared to be "several feet deep", according to one estimate.
"I took a look myself on Monday morning, speaking to residents, and found that it was not only deep but that it appeared there was little or no material supporting the adjacent pavement, and the tarmac surface of the road was starting to sink around the hole," Mr Gregory said.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: "The hole was reported by our refuse department on August 18, inspected and barriered off that morning by our roadmen.
"We contacted Scottish Water on August 21 as we believed it was an old drain of theirs. They confirmed on September 22 they do not think the hole is related to their apparatus.
"We are looking to engage a contractor to undertake excavation works to expose the drains and we will then inspect it and clear any blockages, etc. It is hoped these works will be done in the next two or three weeks.
"Our staff are monitoring the hole in the meantime and ensuring the barriers remain in place."
