New Scottish Government funded equipment set to provide a boost for road safety on the Isle of Skye and Raasay

Funding from the Scottish Government’s Spaces for People project will bring benefits to the Isle of Skye and Raasay and help solve issues with white lining on the areas’ roads.

Isle of Skye and Raasay Area Committee Chairman, Cllr John Gordon welcomed the purchase of new white lining plant for Council roads. He said:

“This is great news for both locals and visitors that part of the Spaces for People project funding has been used to purchase a new piece of white lining plant, which can be deployed anywhere in Highland, including Skye and Raasay. This will help improve road safety in particular at key junctions.”

Reporting to the Area Committee, Head of Roads and Transport at Highland Council, Tracey Urry, responded: “We have some good news in terms of white lining. The Spaces for People funding has allowed us to bring in a white lining vehicle and we are now looking at training of local operatives to operate it.

“The vehicle can be used across the local authority area and Skye and Raasay will see the benefit of that. One of its first uses will be white lining at Carbost.”

Ms Urry assured Isle of Skye and Raasay Members she would share information on when the machine will be available for the area.

Members were also informed about a programme of signage replacement commencing as a matter or priority which will assist tourists on how they should be using the roads and also the Police with enforcement.

An update was also provided on the area road surface dressing programme which has been impacted by COVID-19 and the costs associated with it which have had a knock-on effect on the overall Council budget.

The dressing programme will be deferred to a meeting of The Highland Council for further consideration.