Road chiefs ‘dragging heels’ over braes work
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TRANSPORT Scotland has been blasted by a far north business chief for the lack of action on improving a stretch of the A9 which is vital to future economic success.
Caithness Chamber of Commerce chief executive Trudy Morris has criticised the delays into carrying out an investigation to carry out improvement works at the Berriedale Braes.
The £220,000 project to look at ways of redesigning the route through the switchback section of the trunk road was given the green light in July.
But investigation works have yet to begin as Transport Scotland has yet to appoint a designer to lead the project.
Ms Morris said that someone should have been appointed months ago and the investigation should be well under way.
She said that as each day goes by without action, the more harm it is doing to the chances of a successful far north economy post-Dounreay.
“We’re expecting an update from Transport Scotland by next Friday but we have become increasingly frustrated by the delays as it has taken such a long time for somebody to be appointed,” she said.
“We expected somebody to be appointed a lot sooner and for the investigation to be under way.
“The Caithness Transport Forum has written to the Scottish Government as it wants Berriedale Braes to be a shovel-ready project.
“In the UK chancellor’s autumn statement, the Scottish Government was to receive an extra £331 million for capital investment to mean shovel-ready projects could be progressed.
“We felt that once the detailed design was completed for the Berriedale Braes, which should have only taken a matter of months, the investigation could have been shovel-ready within the next financial year.”
The estimated £2.3 million cost of the work at Berriedale, she said, is a drop in the ocean when compared to the £331 million pot.
“It needs to be improved sooner rather than later, when you consider the road budget has been reduced and the amount of road accidents in Caithness due to winter weather,” said Ms Morris.
Under the plan, the north hairpin would be removed and the existing road re-aligned within the corridor between the small cemetery to the north and the coast.
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP Rob Gibson said he had spoken with Transport Minister Keith Brown to check on progress with the investigation work. Mr Gibson hoped more information about plans to improve the stretch of road would be released in the coming weeks.
“I have spoken to Keith Brown regarding the state of play with Transport Scotland and the Berriedale Braes.
“I hope to have answers on the situation shortly.”
Transport Scotland and the NDA are contributing £100,000 each to the investigation with HiTrans and Highland Council each chipping in £10,000.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said it is hopeful a designer for the project could be appointed in March.
“The A9 Berriedale Braes scheme, which presents a significant engineering challenge given the unique aspects of the topography, is being taken forward by our design team,” he said.
“We hope to be in a position to appoint a designer next month to allow the design works to be programmed and taken forward.”
