Dounreay has a duty to be 'part of the solution' to Forss road safety concerns
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Dounreay has a responsibility to be "part of the solution" to the road safety concerns raised by a local campaign group, the site's managing director has said.
Mark Rouse made it clear he was keen to work with Forss Campaign Group after meeting some of its members. They described his intervention as "extremely positive".
The group says there has been a “disproportionately high” number of traffic accidents around the Forss straight, part of the A836, and is calling for action to improve safety.
The road is used by drivers travelling to and from the Dounreay and Vulcan sites, as well as vehicles associated with wind farms and timber extraction. Forss is also part of the North Coast 500 tourist route.
“I had a meeting recently with members of the Forss Campaign Group and expressed my desire to work with them," Mr Rouse said. "The conversation was recorded as part of our ongoing staff communications and has been made available to all.
“Dounreay has a responsibility, as a major employer in the community, to be part of the solution. We will look at ways in which we can support the aims of the group, through educating our staff and adding our weight to the campaign.”
The group comprises Highland councillors Matthew Reiss and Struan Mackie, community councillors Ron Gunn, Thelma Mackenzie (both Thurso) and David Craig (Caithness West) and Caithness Roads Recovery co-founder Iain Gregory.
Mr Gregory said: "Mr Rouse expressed his support for the proposals to enhance road safety in the area, stressing that he believed that Dounreay had an important role to play in local community matters. Further discussions will be held as work progresses.
"We were delighted with the extremely positive response from Mr Rouse, and his expressions of support will be greatly appreciated by the community."
The campaigners are seeking measures such as a reduced speed limit, double white lines, chevron boards at bends, upgraded junction visibility and improved culverts, drainage, road surfacing and signage.
The group has written to Highland Council, Transport Scotland, the Northern Safety Camera Partnership, Police Scotland and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) as well as senior management at Dounreay and Vulcan. Maree Todd, the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, has also been contacted.
At the same time, a Rural Road Safety Campaign launched 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.
