B851 Sockich’s Bends – road improvement scheme

The Highland Council is advising locals and motorists of the traffic management plans being put into place for the B851 Sockich’s Bends Improvement Scheme which starts today Tuesday 16 September.

Works start with tree felling to enable road widening and wall construction. A road traffic order is in place to start Tuesday 16 September which runs to 24 December 2014.

Traffic Management arrangements comprise the C1076 (Brin to Dunlichity)/C1068 (Dunlichity to Balnafoich) diversion route for local and light traffic; management of bus services; routing of HGV traffic and part-day closures.  Daily monitoring will be in place.

A diversion route which is not suitable for HGV use is on the Brin / Dunlichity / Balnafoich road with 30 passing places.

A temporary statutory 30mph speed restriction on the C1076/C1068 diversion route will be in force during the works.

The C1076/C1068 diversion route will be given the same priority as the B851 under the Council’s Winter Maintenance programme and will be gritted/cleared in conjunction with the gritting/clearing of the B851.

Refuse collection will be brought forward on usual collection days (Monday / Thursday) to be clear of the diversion route before 9am.  Householders are asked to ensure that their bins are out for collection before 7am on the day of collection.

School and Service buses will be allowed through the closure, under control of the traffic management personnel.  While local traffic may get through at these times residents are advised that the diversion route should be used.

Approximate timings at Sockich’s for Stagecoach and D&E Coaches are as follows:

Heavy goods vehicles will be diverted with advance signing at Calanour, Daviot and Inverarnie.

Part-day closures will also take place on the following dates and times:

September and October (Monday – Friday)

• 09.00 – 15.00 closed (bus access allowed)
• 15.00 – 16.30 under traffic management, delays up to 20 minutes expected;
• 16.30 – 18.00 closed

November – December (Monday – Friday)

• 09.00 – 15.00 closed (bus access allowed) – (traffic management, delays up to 20 minutes expected may be used after 15.00 as daylight hours permit).  

Monitoring of the closures and use of the diversion route will be checked daily. A further public meeting will be held towards the end of October to inform residents of progress and start of wall construction/road widening works.

For further information please contact: Alba Traffic Management 01463 259195 or The Highland Council 01463 703111

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