Pupils’ return is real test of re-worked road crossing
A ROAD crossing near Banavie Primary School is better but is still ‘not perfect’, according to a councillor who has campaigned for improvements.
BEAR Scotland has been carrying out work on behalf of Transport Scotland on the A830 road at the Banavie Primary School junction.
After years of campaigning by residents, school staff and the parent council, it was agreed earlier this year a section of the road should be narrowed to limit risk to pedestrians.
Louise Pescod of Banavie Parent Council told the Loch
aber Times the real test for the crossing will come now that children have returned to school after the Easter break. Mrs Pescod added: ‘We are going to need to wait for feedback. It is difficult when you are looking at a plan to determine whether something is going to work or not so now that I have been up and looked there are a few things I think could be changed and I will put these to Transport Scotland. Transport Scotland (TS) is going to be monitoring the crossing for a year and has said to go back with our comments. It has been helpful and we are relieved something has been done because while TS said pedestrian crossings are required in Corpach and at the swing bridge further down the road, it has also said there is no money to do so.’
Ben Thompson, councillor for Caol and Mallaig, said the crossing looks safer. He added: ‘Parents would definitely have preferred to be able to stop the traffic themselves by way of a pelican crossing but BEAR Scotland deemed it was not necessary which was disappointing.
‘BEAR has said the idea was to slow traffic down. Narrowing the road makes it look as though the road is safer but what we now need to see is whether or not speeds have actually slowed. Visibility still isn’t great.
‘If you stand at the north side of the crossing, you still can’t see very well as there are bushes and different things obscuring your way. This outcome is not perfect but is definitely better.’
A spokesperson for BEAR Scotland said: ‘Trunk road safety is a priority and all routes are continuously monitored by our teams with the safety of the entire trunk road network reviewed annually with Transport Scotland to establish where further improvements are required.
‘We have been also asked by Transport Scotland to carry out feasibility studies for a potential crossings at Banavie and Corpach and the results will be submitted to Transport Scotland for consideration once completed.
‘Assessments for pedestrian crossings are carried out based on a series of factors including the number of people who cross the road at a concentrated point as well as the volume of traffic on the route.’