Work on making safe the A 890 road between Lochcarron and Kyle following a major rock fall in December, last year, is nearing completion and The Highland Council is targeting Monday 23 April for a full re-opening of the route.

From Saturday 14 April, work will commence on dismantling and removing the holdfast units and barriers on the adjacent Strathcarron – Kyle railway line, which have enabled traffic to be diverted on to the railway line between 7 am and 7 pm under a traffic management system dictated by the train times.

From this date, traffic will be taken one-way in convoy through the road between 7 am – 7 pm with no restriction on weight.

From Monday 23 April, the road will be open 24 hours a day, with traffic control measures implemented as required during daylight hours to allow the completion of the de-vegetation works along the length of the road and removal of the contractor’s site compound.

Drivers should still anticipate delays, which will be dependent on the works being undertaken. There will be no restriction on traffic movement.

-- Advertisement --

The holdfast units were introduced on Monday 26 March to allow the road to partially reopen, having been closed from 22 December last year following a rock fall. The partial opening of the A 890 was possible because of modification works to the railway track which allow road vehicles to share the railway track with trains under a traffic management system. This has allowed vehicles to be diverted on to the railway line at the location of the rockface stabilisation works. The diversion is designed for local traffic only and a 7.5 tonne weight restriction is being applied strictly.

Neil Gillies, Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services with

The Highland Council, said: "Good progress is being made in making safe the rockface and unless we hit an unforeseen hitch, the road will reopen fully from Monday 23 April. This should come as very welcome news to the local community, to Highland businesses and to people visiting this popular part of the Highlands.

"This has been a most challenging project and the contractors, TRAC Engineering Ltd, and our consultants, URS, and Council staff are to be commended for their round-the-clock efforts to reopen the road as quickly as possible. I would also like to thank the local communities most affected by the closure and partial closure of the road for their understanding and patience."

Following the road closure, the Council commissioned a car ferry and a passenger ferry to maintain links between Lochcarron and Stromeferry and an early morning train service between Strathcarron and Kyle was organised by Scotrail to take pupils from Applecross, Kishorn and Lochcarron to Plockton High School in time for the start of the school day. These were withdrawn when traffic was diverted on to the railway line.

(GK)