Roads to ruin

AS A driver who uses the A82 Crianlarich/ Loch Lomond road regularly, I am amazed at the condition that the road from Inverarnan to Tarbet is in.

This road, which is the main road from Glasgow to Fort William, is in total decay. During periods of inclement weather, flooding is becoming a major issue on many sections of the route. The road surface is crumbling and around the Loch Lomond caravan park area, and large bits of stone are regularly breaking away from retaining walls at the side of the road, causing a hazard to motorists.

Another problem is the volume of large vehicles – articulated lorries and tour coaches – using this road. In some stretches, the size of those vehicles passing each other safely is becoming more difficult.

On the same subject, I read with interest in the pages of the Argyllshire Advertiser that at a meeting of the Argyll Chamber of Commerce last week, the government’s transport minister, Humza Yousaf, was told that the upgrading of the A83 Rest and be Thankfully was far from finished. His reply to this was: ‘I feel that we are getting towards a solution.’

My reply to him is: ‘The solution to the road infrastructure problems are long overdue. Do we have to wait until there is a tragedy before the problems will be solved?’

The usual point was made by the transport minister on several occasions – yes, here we go – ‘we live in times of financial restraint’.

My question to Mr Yousaf is: ‘What price do you and your government put on the safety and lives of people using these roads daily?’

And, finally on this subject, I find it quite absurd that countless millions of pounds can be found for motorway works south of Glasgow. Is there a difference in priority here? We all pay the same road taxes, Mr Yousaf, or do people in the rural north-west not matter?