Additional winter funding welcomed
The Highland Council is pleased that the Scottish Government has acknowledged the efforts of the local authority during the recent severe winter weather to keep the Highlands moving.
Chair of Environment, Development and Infrastructure, Cllr Allan Henderson said: “We hope that the funding will be applied on a fair basis that reflects the whole winter and that takes account of the scale of our roads network and the challenge of maintaining this throughout winter.
“The funding allocation will not be known until later this month, however, the additional money that the Highland Council can expect to receive from the Government, will still leave the Highland Council considerably short in the winter maintenance budget which was overspent by some £2.5m. Nor will this take into account the severe damage to roads during the harsh conditions we have been experiencing.
“Whilst we are pleased that the Minister has responded to the exceptional circumstances of this winter, with freeze, thaw, freeze conditions that have ravaged Highland roads, this will still leave the council with a massive repair bill of several millions for our 6750 km of road network, and that will put pressure on the whole of the council’s budget.”