Pay for roads with council reserves

Sir,

I have been pressing Transport Scotland and BEAR since the New Year to take forward a much increased programme of repair on the trunk roads in Argyll and Bute.

Work has started on the A83, the A82 and the A85. Transport Scotland did another inspection last week on the A83 and are insisting that BEAR accelerates its work and devotes more resources.

I will continue to monitor that situation but I hope that the worst of the problems will be sorted within a few weeks.

The bulk of the local roads are Argyll and Bute Council’s responsibility and I have received many complaints about those roads.

Some, like the main – and only – road on Jura are in such a dreadful state that is leading to concerns from hauliers about the safety of using them.

Others – like the A886 and the A8003 which I use on a regular basis – have patches where the surface has broken up and many potholes.

Drivers avoiding these can cause traffic accidents and in addition essential workers, like carers, are having delays and disruptions to the vital work they do because of damage to their vehicles.

Local road users must report these problems, to the council, whenever they experience them because only when a pothole has been reported and not acted on can individuals claim compensation for damage.

It would be better if the council accepted that the current situation constitutes an emergency, due to severe deterioration caused by adverse weather, first of all extreme wet weather in the summer and autumn and next very cold winter conditions.

It could meet that emergency by dipping into reserves

and establishing a fund for urgent repairs across the area, starting with the worst affected routes like Jura but covering everywhere during the next few months.

The council cannot simply go on saying that its current budgets are constrained.

It has reserves and the reality is that such reserves are, in part, about putting aside resources for times when special circumstances require special measures.

This is one of those times and I have suggested that the council sets up a new fund, with monies from their reserves, immediately.

I will continue to monitor the road situation closely and I would encourage people to report faults and damage quickly until they are fixed.

Community councils are

also getting active in the matter and I am sure councillors want to see improvements made without any further delay.

Michael Russell, MSP Argyll and Bute.