Campaigners warn tourism businesses could lose out unless action is taken to improve roads in Caithness and north-west Sutherland
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Tourism businesses in Caithness and north-west Sutherland could lose out financially unless urgent action is taken to upgrade the area's roads, a campaign group has claimed.
Caithness Roads Recovery founders Iain Gregory and Helen Campbell are calling for vital funds to be made available to Highland Council to deal with what they describe as a "crisis situation" affecting the far north road network.
They say large potholes and other damaged sections of carriageway are having a serious impact on households and local businesses – and insist that major repair work is all the more important with the imminent easing of Scotland's lockdown and an expected surge in tourist traffic.
Mr Gregory and Mrs Campbell met this week with a senior representative of the national tourism organisation VisitScotland to highlight the road safety issues facing local people and visitors.
Mrs Campbell said: “With the imminent arrival of thousands of visitors it is absolutely essential that the roads infrastructure is in good condition and, above all, safe for everyone.
"Caithness is a world-class tourist destination and tourism has been significantly boosted by the North Coast 500 since 2015, with a substantial average annual increase in visitor numbers, which is very much needed for our area."
The campaigners maintain that with visitors as well as local residents driving on poor-quality roads there is a heightened risk of accidents. This, they say, could lead to the loss of repeat or word-of-mouth business which would harm the local tourism economy.
They also claim that if roads are not brought up to modern safety standards imminently then "those in authority will simply be undoing the hard work – and money – that many organisations and businesses have put in over the years to promote vital tourism in Caithness".
Some repairs have been carried out on badly affected stretches, including part of the A882 between Wick and Thurso, but Mr Gregory says an "overwhelming" amount of work is needed. He and Mrs Campbell have been seeking a meeting with Scotland's transport secretary Michael Matheson and finance secretary Kate Forbes to press the case for funding.
"While we are pleased to see that some of the worst parts of some of the major routes in the county are receiving attention, the sheer amount that needs to be done is overwhelming," Mr Gregory said. "Over the five weeks that we have been running the campaign we have written on several occasions to the Scottish Government seeking a meeting with Michael Matheson and Kate Forbes."
He pointed out that Gail Ross (outgoing SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross), Rhoda Grant (Labour’s lead candidate for the Highlands and Islands region) and Molly Nolan (Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross), as well as Caithness Transport Forum and others, had also written to Mr Matheson.
"In each case the reply has been that 'this is a matter for Highland Council', with a number of financial figures, relating to block grants to the council, being supplied," Mr Gregory said.
"We have forwarded this data to Highland Council, asking for a breakdown of what it actually means in terms of hard cash for Caithness, and we will publish the response when it arrives.
"We have again requested a meeting with [chief executive] Donna Manson to discuss the situation. We would reiterate that we cannot, and will not, accept a position where no action is taken."
Mrs Campbell added: “It’s clear from the state of our roads that the algorithms used to apportion funds to properly maintain the roads in Caithness are seriously flawed. We are focused on making sure that Caithness gets the funding that is required to fix the problem now and into the future."
Chris Taylor, VisitScotland's regional leadership director, said: “Tourism and the economic benefits it brings to the area are very important to Caithness, never more so than at the moment, and we look forward to working with the industry to inspire visits to this beautiful part of the Highlands when restrictions allow.
“The quality of our infrastructure – public realm, high street and roads – all impacts on the visitor experience, as well as the lives of local people who use it each day, and we would welcome and support investment in the roads infrastructure to improve that experience.
“Right now, we are focused on responsible tourism recovery, which includes promoting safe driving, highlighting driving procedure on single-track roads and being alert to farm animals and wildlife.
“Throughout lockdown, we have updated our potential visitors with inspiring content across our channels, to ensure that when the time is right we can warmly welcome them back.”
The North Coast 500 organisation said it would support any investment that would improve the area's roads.
Tom Campbell, executive chairman at North Coast 500 Ltd, said: “The North Coast 500 is just part of the wider public road network across the north Highlands, which is used daily by local communities and businesses, as well as visitors.
“We fully support any investment, public policy or initiatives that improve the quality of public roads across the region and enhance the visitor experience on the world-famous North Coast 500 route."
He added: “The North Coast 500 experience is more than just a road. Every corner of the North Coast 500 offers wild, rugged and varied landscapes that encourage visitors to take their time to appreciate, explore away from the beaten track and focus on wellbeing experiences, such as walking, hiking and swimming, as part of their travels.
"We continue to champion the north Highlands region as a prime destination for eco-travel, encouraging travellers to be mindful of their environmental impact.”
Related stories:
- Emergency funding to be sought for 'life-saving' repairs to Caithness roads
- Nobody in government seems to care, say Caithness campaigners as they vow to keep up pressure over roads
