The Corran crossing debate continues

I see that the Corran Crossing debate has resurfaced with the publication of the latest feasibility study, not that feasibility was ever in doubt – if engineers can build the Channel Tunnel and the Queensferry Crossing, feasibility to span 500 metres is child’s play.

While the report makes great play of the benefits to local residents in terms of shorter journey times they also said this in 2012 when they spent about £1 million on improving a mile of road at Drynie Hill, destroying a beautiful drive up a scenic glen and also knocking a whole five minutes off journey times.

The real cost benefit analysis here is the £1million could have been better spent – a first rate sports and leisure centre, complete with swimming pool, could have been constructed for a similar price and this really would have had a beneficial effect on locals, both adults and children, yet here we are again with councillors contemplating the expenditure of huge sums of money with no real understanding of the effects, not least on the local infrastructure, and no mention of the updating of roads on the peninsular to meet the projected demand.

It is estimated that just to improve the existing 64 miles of single track A861 and A884 to double track would cost a minimum of a further £50 million.

With the current pandemic threatening to change holiday and travel patterns, not least a huge increase in the use of camper vans, the ferry remains a very good “tool” in managing visitor traffic and ensuring that Ardnamurchan is not over-run as has happened on Skye.

This crazy proposal should be consigned to the dustbin of history where it belongs.

Andrew Green,

Ardtoe.