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News archive
3 Jun 2009 |
A new era as 'road to the isles' is upgraded
Britain’s last remaining single track trunk road, the A830 or ‘Road to the Isles’, has been upgraded to double carriageway standard, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson announced on 15th April.
Mr Stevenson said, “The Road to the Small Isles is one of the most stunning in Scotland, with unrivalled views which showcase some of the best scenery anywhere in the Highlands. For years, the road has been famed for its single track status, and in many ways this is the end of an era. However, anyone who has ever experienced the road will know that this is vital investment which will be welcomed by the local community, visitors and businesses alike. This project will bring real benefits by speeding up journey times, promoting safety and providing better links with Mallaig’s ferry connections to Skye and improving the routes to market for the local fishing industry.
Some of that scenery meant special consideration had to be given to environmental factors during the design and construction phases. As the road passes through Glen Beasdale Special Area of Conservation, noted for its ancient oakwood, its otters and its fresh water mussels, significant effort was made to retain the existing character of the area. Furthermore, a new habitat is currently being developed to maintain and improve oak woodland.
Jim Steele, operations director for Morrison Construction’s civil engineering business in Scotland, said, “We are proud of the quality of work we have produced at Arisaig and the way the new road blends into the natural beauty of its surroundings."
Alasdair Fowler, Grontmij’s operations director, added: “Designing the road at Arisaig was an exciting and challenging project. We worked closely with Transport Scotland and Morrison Construction to deliver an upgraded road that will provide a safer passage to the western isles. Arisaig is an area of natural beauty and conservation, so it was imperative that we took this into account in the design of the road. We worked closely with landscape and environment specialists to ensure that the new road was constructed within certain boundaries so as not to disturb the protected surrounding environment.”
For further information please contact:
Pamela Weeks
Grontmij
Tel: 0113 262 0000
Email:
pamela.weeks@grontmij.co.uk