Confusion reigns as NC500 travellers overshoot route at Reiss after sign falls – residents at nearby cul-de-sac say it's like 'living in a car park'
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A Highland councillor is highlighting a North Coast 500 route issue on the A99 in Caithness where drivers are showing signs of confusion and local residents getting angered.
Wick and East Caithness councillor Jan McEwan was contacted by the fed up residents living at a cul-de-sac called Nordwall Park in Reiss, which is sited close to the NC500 turn-off to John O'Groats.
Cllr McEwan showed how a toppled sign that highlighted the junction between the B876 and A99 – where the NC500 route continues – had toppled over in the last year and believes it has led to confusion by drivers who miss the vital turn-off.
Cllr McEwan said: "I have reported this matter to the Highland Council on various occasions since I was elected in May. This issue is greatly disturbing local residents' quality of life with constant mobile homes, cars and motorcycles turning into their normally quiet residential street, quite often in convoy."
The local councillor said that the matter would be "easily remedied" by re-erecting the toppled sign and improving other signs at the junction to make it clearer where the NC500 route is. She also thinks that a "No Through Road" sign at the entrance to Nordwall Park would be a great benefit as well.
At a recent visit to the site on the A99, the legs of the toppled sign now sit at a 45 degree angle and the information panels, including a NC500 route marker, have been removed. There are signs further along the road at the junction which highlight John O'Groats, Gills Bay and the Castle of Mey but the NC500 route markers either side of the road are very small and have been partly obscured by stickers.
Residents at Nordwall Park talked to the Groat and said most of the problem seemed to be coming from the A99 side of the junction with vehicles that had probably travelled via Wick. "We had a campervan do a circle on the grass at the side of my bird table and another turned right round in my drive," said one resident who did not want to be named.
"I've been here four years and it got really bad this year after the Covid restrictions ended. I think they're not used to a main tourist road suddenly turning off to the right like that and there's no prior warning that it does. Nordwall Park is not part of the NC500 route."
Another unnamed resident said she believed that many of the motorists are "past the junction before they realise" where they are. "It always went on since the NC500 started but it got worse because of the pandemic – it was such a busy year. With me living where I do it gets very noisy – it's like living in a car park and they're often coming in convoys," she added. "I drove back down the road to see what the problem is and realised the sign was down. It's been down since around the start of the year."
Both residents said they welcome tourists using the NC500 route but agreed that facilities and infrastructure needs improving to accommodate the growing numbers.
Cllr McEwan said that the NC500 signs at the junction were "really small" and noted how some had been partly obscured by charity stickers.
Highland Council initially denied that it took responsibility for the matter saying that the "A99 is a trunk road" and queries should be directed to BEAR Scotland or Traffic Scotland. The local authority was, however, informed that it is in fact a trunk road between Latheron and Wick but maintained by Highland Council north of there.
A council spokesman admitted responsibility and said: "There have been delays in the supply and delivery of the sign posts. They are expected to arrive this month. The sign plate is ready so work will be completed once the poles arrives as priorities and resources permit."
