Caithness campaign group says there is 'huge level of public anger' over state of roads
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The Caithness group campaigning for major upgrading of the county's road network is taking its case directly to politicians and councillors after finding there is a "huge level of public anger" over the issue.
Caithness Roads Recovery says the level of support in its first week has been "overwhelming" – and now the group wants to know what the decision-makers are going to do about it.
Local residents Iain Gregory and Helen Campbell teamed up to launch the group amid growing concern over the extent of potholes and deteriorating carriageways across the far north.
They are seeking to highlight the condition of roads in Caithness and north-west Sutherland and exert pressure regionally and nationally for "substantial investment".
The launch of Caithness Roads Recovery was reported in last Friday's John O'Groat Journal, and the group's Facebook page went live the same day. Mr Gregory said: "The reaction from the people of Caithness and north-west Sutherland has been astonishing."
Mrs Campbell said she was dealing with "a huge number of responses morning, noon and night". By midweek the Facebook page had reached almost 16,000 people, with nearly 13,000 post engagements and 1140 followers.
"Support for the campaign is overwhelming, and Helen's detailed analysis of comments, responses and emails sent to us indicates a huge level of public anger that the situation has been allowed to develop to this extent," Mr Gregory said this week.
"Suggestions that this is 'due to the recent bad weather' have not been at all well received, and we suspect that anything short of very urgent provision of emergency funding to repair our roads will go down equally badly with the community.
"Clearly the weather exacerbated the collapse of an already crumbling roads system – but the issue is entirely down to a lamentable lack of capital investment in our network over many years, and a wholly inadequate maintenance budget."
Caithness Roads Recovery has written to an extensive list of elected representatives asking for their views and an explanation of what they intend to do. The list includes local MP Jamie Stone and local MSP Gail Ross as well as regional MSPs for the Highlands and Islands, Scotland's transport secretary Michael Matheson, finance secretary Kate Forbes, Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson and every Highland councillor in Caithness and north-west Sutherland.
The chief executive of Highland Council, Donna Manson, has also been contacted.
Mrs Campbell said: "There is funding available for projects around Scotland, and we are looking for some of this money to be urgently refocused to support our much-needed road repairs.
"Just this morning [Wednesday] I received another story from a local resident who suffered a burst tyre and a damaged wheel due to the unacceptable and avoidable road conditions that we are being forced to endure. It is not safe, and it needs immediate and longer-term action.
"We are looking to see a forward plan as to how we will come back from this state of disrepair, and we need to know when our roads will be made safe again for our community, for our businesses and for the visitors that flock to our county so that we can continue to thrive."
Mr Gregory pointed out that Highland councillor Matthew Reiss (Thurso and Northwest Caithness) has undertaken to gather figures detailing exactly how much is required in emergency funding, and the total needed to restore the roads to "a proper, safe standard".
Mr Gregory added: "We are perfectly aware of all the financial issues here. However, we are equally well aware that when a major crisis occurs then funding is invariably found.
"Keeping people safe is a primary function of government. We have a major crisis in our area, we have now reached a point where it is only a matter of time before a tragedy occurs, and urgent action is needed."
He quoted a line from the group's letter to the transport secretary stating: "Above all, there is a clear and present risk to life, and that will not do, Michael."
Announcing the start of the campaign last week, Mr Gregory – who served for more than 30 years as a police officer, retiring as an area commander – said: "We have actually gone past the point where the risk is 'only' confined to the likelihood of vehicle damage, and have now reached a situation where road safety is being adversely affected.
"A pothole can cause damage to a vehicle – which in itself is unacceptable – but the roads are now in such a state that catastrophic accidents are just waiting to happen."
Mr Gregory outlined the group's plans at the latest meeting of Thurso Community Council.
Chairman Ron Gunn backed what he described as "a completely new approach" to the problem. He said some of the county's roads were in "a horrendous state".
Community councillor Bert Macleod described the condition of some roads as "unbelievable" and claimed the cold tar repairs only "last a couple of weeks".
Thelma Mackenzie said some roads were "atrocious", while fellow community councillor Gill Arrowsmith suggested approaching the North Coast 500 organisation to see if it could help.
Caithness Roads Recovery has the strapline “from despair to repair". As well as pushing for investment for upgrading, it will campaign to enhance all aspects of road safety in the area.
The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/caithness.roads and the team can be emailed at caithnessroadsrecovery@yahoo.com
The team recognises that some people have taken photos of the various road issues they have experienced. Mr Gregory and Mrs Campbell stress that they are not encouraging this practice and want to ensure safety for all road users.
Related stories:
- Catastrophic accidents are just waiting to happen, warns Caithness pothole action group
- I could have a bath in that pothole, says Lieurary woman
