Campaigners warn Forss traffic accident rate is 'disproportionately high'
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The number of traffic accidents on a stretch of road in north-west Caithness has been described as "disproportionately high" by local campaigners who are demanding action to improve safety.
Police figures show that over the past decade there have been 17 collisions in the area around the Forss straight on the A836 between Thurso and Dounreay.
Iain Gregory, a member of the recently formed Forss Campaign Group, says the statistics make "alarming reading", with four of the accidents having been fatal.
The group is arguing for a reduced speed limit, double white lines, chevron boards at bends, better junction visibility, proper pavements and improved culverts, drainage, road surfacing and signage.
At the same time, a new Rural Road Safety Campaign promoted by the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier seeks to highlight road concerns across the far north and look at possible solutions and mitigations.
The Forss group comprises Highland councillors Matthew Reiss and Struan Mackie and community councillors Ron Gunn, Thelma Mackenzie (both Thurso) and David Craig (Caithness West) as well as Mr Gregory, a former police area commander and a co-founder of Caithness Roads Recovery.
The accident figures were obtained following a recent Freedom of Information request to Police Scotland. They relate to an area one mile either side of the centre of Forss, from 2010 to 2021.
"We are very grateful to Police Scotland for their swift response to our request for accident statistics," Mr Gregory said.
"The figures make alarming reading. There have been four fatal road accidents since 2011, approximately one every two-and-a-half years, and this in an area extending only one mile in each direction from the centre of the village.
"There was a further serious injury RTA [road traffic accident] in 2010, and there has been an equally concerning total of 12 other collisions involving slight injury between 2011 and 2021.
"It must also be remembered that a fairly high proportion of accidents are not reported to the police, and the figures given refer only to 'reported injury accidents', so the true numbers may well be far higher.
"The statistics reinforce the concerns of local residents, and indeed those who travel daily to and from Thurso, who have raised the matter with us and asked for action."
Mr Gregory added: "To put this in context, the total length of all roads in Highland is 7716 km. The official statistics for 2019 show that the total number of people who sadly lost their lives in traffic accidents in Highland that year was 22.
"It is very concerning to find that the statistics for this short stretch of road are clearly disproportionately high."
The group has written to Highland Council, Transport Scotland, the Northern Safety Camera Partnership, Police Scotland, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) and senior management at Dounreay and Vulcan, as well as contacting Maree Todd, the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
"We look forward to working with them to drive forward solutions," Mr Gregory added.
After the group launched its campaign, local parent Julie Minchin said she was "petrified" every time she pulled out of her driveway and spoke of her concerns about the walk her son has to make from his school transport drop-off point.
Another local resident, John Crofts, criticised people for "driving like idiots”. He called for the road to be “reconditioned”, with new white lines and a lower speed limit.
