Committee given update on improvement works to Skye Roads

The Highland Council has confirmed that resurfacing works on the A855 by Stenscholl, Staffin on the Isle of Skye are due to start tomorrow (Tuesday 3 December). The public are being advised that over the following four days traffic will be managed utilising a convoy vehicle through the works to minimise any disruption.

At today’s meeting of the Skye and Rassay Committee members were given an update on the Area Capital Roads Maintenance Programme.

The report presented lists completed surface and surface dressing sites and highlights projects still to be completed before March next year.  These include works to the A850 at Lynedale Lodge, the C1242 Tarskavaig loop, the C1241 Drumfearn section and two laybys along the U4780 at Waterstein

The capital budget for 2019/20 is £603,708. £60,000 that was spent in the partnership scheme at Quiraing is being returned to the Area budget meaning 63% of the budget has been spent.  The remaining budget will be allocated to schemes agreed by members programmed for completion by March 2020.

One project completed on budget in July this year was a 60 space off street carpark and 50 space on street parking development at the Quiraing.

Malcolm MacLeod, the Council’s Executive Chief Officer for Infrastructure and Environment who is the Lead Officer for the Skye and Raasay Area took the opportunity recently to visit the new car park as part of a visit to the island to meet staff and discuss local infrastructure challenges and resources.

He said: ““Given the scale of roads across Skye and Raasay there continues to be a huge demand on our resources, but it is good to see work to tackle repairs completed, and the A855 works about to start.  During my visit I went to see the improvements carried out this year at the Quiraing and at Storr and was impressed. Tourism infrastructure is so important. In my new role I look forward to working closely with Councillors, staff, communities and partnership organisations to do all we can to support jobs and growth and look for ways of getting additional investment, especially for improvements to the road infrastructure.”

Here is a link to a short video covering the recent visit to Skye by Malcolm and the Chief Executive Donna Manson.

https://youtu.be/wwa8AKNnVWw