Stay Alive on A85

SUPPORT continues to be voiced for The Oban Times’ campaign for improved safety measures on the road between Oban and Connel. Full story

INVESTMENT into a number of hot-spot areas that cause frustration for drivers on the A85 could ease some of the problems on the road, two former councillors have said.

Supporting the Stay Alive on the A85 campaign, former elected members Allan McKie and Neil MacKay said the lack of representation on the council’s committees had led to the wrong decisions being made for communities who live on the road.

Both men urged anyone newly elected to the council to get involved in planning and for the chairmanship of planning to be equally spread for all the areas.

Former councillor McKie said people, while he was campaigning on their doorsteps, had told him that during the morning and evening rush hours drivers they were waiting up to 25 minutes to get out of the Dunbeg junction onto the A85.

Mr McKie said: ‘ With investment onto the roads that feed onto the A85, lives would be saved. A roundabout would slow down traffic and ease so many problems on the road.’

Mr MacKay, also a former councillor, criticised current elected members for not sitting on the planning committee, thus allowing decisions being made beyond the area, ‘ without any understanding of the policy decisions’.

As an example, the men used the recent authorisation of the Dunbeg masterplan for an extra 300 houses. They said the decision will have an ongoing effect on the traffic using the A85.

‘Yet a roundabout was not included as part of any planning gain or condition, meaning the pressure on the fragile A85 will be further congested,’ Mr MacKay said.

The two agreed that current problems for drivers are leading to frustration, and at times risk-taking on the road. One driver who contacted The

Oban Times explained: ‘I know that I pulled out too quickly onto the road this morning – but that was after waiting for almost 20 minutes to get from Dunbeg onto the main road for my daughter getting to her first exam.

‘There is no way that an extra 300 houses are going to ease the load onto the road. And while I feel guilty about a near miss and feeling like I had to pull out onto the road because of time constraints and cars behind me – next time there might be an accident.

‘I am hoping that someone will read this and say that lights or a roundabout be put in at the junction to stop all this crazy driving – including my own.’

To sign the Stay Alive on the A85 petition, go to www.obantimes.co.uk/stayalive85.