Second public meeting called to discuss Stromeferry Bypass Closure

FERRY TIMETABLE 

Photo gallery of the rock fall

A second public meeting is being held by The Highland Council  to discuss the measures being planned by the Council to combat the closure of the A 890 Stromeferry Bypass due to the threat of rockfall.

The meeting is being held on Wednesday 18 January at Achmore Village Hall and will begin at 7 pm. It will  be chaired by Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee.

In attendance will be senior officers of the Council, who will set out the action being taken to get the road back open and the interim measures to provide a link between North and South Strome, using a passenger and a car ferry. The road has been closed since 22 December, last year, following a number of landslides, 100 yards west of the Avalanche Shelter.

The first meeting is being held tonight (Monday) at Lochcarron Village Hall, starting at 7 pm.

Councillor Laing said: “We want to give residents to the south of the closure the same opportunity as those to the north of an update and to have their say.”

The indication given by the Council is that the road will need to stay closed for another month, while the detail of a major contract is finalised and a contractor is appointed. A priority action in the contract will be to provide sleepers on the adjacent railway line so that vehicles can be diverted from the road on to the line.

From today (Monday), the Council  introduced a passenger ferry, the Sula Mhor from Plockton, and a six-car turntable ferry from Glenelg. Children from Applecross, Lochcarron and Kishorn travelled by the Sula Mhor and were met at South Strome by bus to take them to Plockton High in time for the start of the school day.  The car ferry was slightly delayed in operating due to freezing conditions but was operational by 10.30 am.

The Council has stressed that car ferry service has a limited capacity of the equivalent of six cars and a maximum of 12 passengers, including drivers. Because of the limitations, the service is intended for emergency services and utilities and local people.  A priority ticketing system  is being used to manage the service.  Mustering points are the Car Park at Lochcarron and the approaches to Stromeferry.

Traffic is urged to use the A 82 and the A 87 rather than ferry.