Innovative transport scheme to be piloted in Glenelg

The Highland Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee has approved a £3,000 pilot scheme to provide residents in the remote Lochalsh communities of Glenelg and Arnisdale with a transport link to Shiel Bridge on the A 87 Inverness and Kyle road, where they can connect with the long distance City Link coaches. 

The scheme was developed from a research project by Robert Gordon University under Professor David Gray and is to be managed by a local voluntary community group.  The pilot scheme, using local taxis or private cars, will run for 12 months and be monitored.  The outcome will be fed back to HITRANS and other local authorities in the Highlands and Islands area.  If it proves successful, the service may be replicated in other remote rural communities which have little or no transport facilities. 

Councillor Graham Phillips, Chairman of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, said: “I’m very pleased the Council was able to help the community of Glenelg. We need to find new methods of working in the transport network to help these remote communities.  These new methods will need to provide green solutions and reduce our carbon footprint and at the same time be cost effective in terms of their operational cost. This is a welcome boost for Glenelg and reward for all the hard work of the local community group.”

Local Highland Councillor Biz Campbell said: “I’m delighted that this pilot is now proceeding. I have been fully supportive of the novel initiative throughout its development and hope it will develop into a meaningful sustainable transport system that can be used in other areas.”

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