Independent audit carried out on controversial Castletown crossing

An independent road safety audit has been completed on a controversial road crossing in Castletown, although the findings have yet to be released.

Matthew Reiss, who represents Thurso and Northwest Caithness on Highland Council, was told by the local authority roads department in August that the audit would be undertaken.

Safety concerns have been raised over the Main Street crossing, which is intended as a traffic-calming measure, close to the village playpark.

It takes the form of a "pinch point" with two bollards placed on either side where the street becomes narrower. The bollards are reported to have been hit at least three times.

Photos taken on Sunday show two of the bollards still in place. But of the pair on the opposite side, near the playpark, one is missing altogether while the other has been flattened – with a road sign, itself buckled out of shape, lying on top of it.

A spokesperson for Highland Council said on Monday: "The independent audit has been carried out and councillors will be informed of the findings in due course."

Councillor Reiss said: "For me the key concern is road safety. If vehicles are accidentally colliding with the signs, they could just as easily be hitting children or prams waiting on the newly created areas.

"Another concern is visually impaired people in the same area not seeing approaching vehicles and being struck."

He said a review is needed urgently but added: "I accept that the council has limited ability to speed up the independent company tasked to carry out the review."

Ron Gunn, another Highland councillor for Thurso and Northwest Caithness, has said: "There have been accidents there and the bollards have been run over. I feel it is not an appropriate type of crossing and I am not alone in that view."

Castletown and District Community Council is in favour of road safety measures but is opposed to the Main Street crossing, describing it as the wrong solution.

Highland Council has said previously that traffic volumes on Main Street do not meet the requirements for a formal controlled crossing.

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