Pressure group calls for upgrade on A82

THE narrow roads of Loch Lomondside may be a thing of the past if lobby group Highlands and Islands Transport (HITRANS) gets the support it wants for an increase on the A82.

At its last meeting there was strong support from HITRANS for a 7.3m-wide carriageway on the Tarbet to Inverarnan section of the A82.

Transport Scotland commissioned consultants CH2M - Fairhurst Joint Venture to look at options for upgrading the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan.

It is a complex site, physically constrained, with the loch on one side, and the hillside and railway on the other.

The Upgrade A82 campaign group has told The Oban Times that it understands that Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf is to make an announcement on funding in April.

A recent meeting of the HITRANS board reported: ‘A rethink is needed over the width of proposed upgrade of A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan.’

The minute of the meeting held in March notes: ‘Board members have urged Transport Scotland to reconsider plans to restrict the width of the proposed new road on the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan to six metres.

‘It is the unanimous view of the HITRANS Board that the width of the 17km length of carriageway should be a standard 7.3 metres.’

‘If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing properly,’ said HITRANS chairman James Stockan at the board meeting held in Inverness when Transport Scotland officials presented plans for the scheme.

‘We should not accept a sub-standard road on such a busy tourist route which also serves heavy industry. We must get this right.’

HITRANS officers have subsequently met with Transport Scotland officials to highlight their strong desire to see the carriageway built to the width of other main routes in Scotland.