Rockfall on the A890 Strome Bypass
Tuesday 21 February: Council regrets further delays to reopening of Stromeferry Bypass
Adverse weather has delayed the progress of contractors commissioned to make safe an unstable rockface on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass and the hoped for partial reopening of the road on Monday 27 February has had to be further delayed.
The disappointing news was reported to The Highland Council by contractors Trac Engineering Ltd, whose 40-strong staff were not able to make progress over the weekend due to high winds and snow which forced their withdrawal from the site.
The work required to make safe the rockface at a point 100 yards west of the Avalanche Shelter is much greater than the contractor envisaged and, combined with the adverse weather conditions, has delayed the project.
No new date for partial re-opening is being given in light of the unpredictable nature of the works needed and the weather.
The Council will continue the passenger and car ferry services, which operate between Lochcarron and Stromeferry. An early morning train taking pupils from Applecross, Kishorn and Lochcarron to Plockton High School will also continue.
The Council has received confirmation that the Glenelg car ferry will be available until 17 March and officials are trying to source another ferry, should the road remain closed beyond this date.
It is also discussing with Network Rail the necessary measures to divert traffic on to the railway line.
Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Transport Environment and Community Services Committee, said he fully appreciated the real disappointment felt by local residents at news of the further delay in reopening the route between Lochcarron and Plockton/Kyle, which has been closed since 22 December, last year.
He said: "The adverse weather and the unstable nature of the rockface are combining to make this a very difficult challenge indeed. I know people want a target date for re-opening but given our recent experiences it would be unwise to do so and raise expectations.
"Residents should be assured that we are doing everything we can to get the road back open, even on a partial basis, and we will keep everyone as closely advised of progress as possible.
"We have the Glenelg ferry until 17 March and we will investigate every avenue available to us to provide ferry cover beyond this date."
At public meetings at Achmore, near Plockton, and Lochcarron last week TRAC Engineering Ltd set out the challenges they are facing as they work round the clock to stabilise the rockface, clear rock, soil and vegetation from the hillside and install safety netting.
Angus MacGregor, Operations Director of TRAC Engineering, said today: "The weather delays to rock scaling and drilling along with some more geological challenges have made it impossible to achieve the partial opening target date of Monday 27 February."
Update: Wednesday 15 February
It now appears that, as a result of more extensive works being necessary, the earliest that the partial re-opening (between 7:00am and 7:00pm, under convoy) will take place is Monday 27 February.
Another Round of Public Meetings
As promised at the January Public meetings, there will be another round of public meetings (in Achmore Hall on Monday 13 February and Lochcarron Hall on Tuesday 14 February, both meetings commencing at 7.00pm) so that there can be dialogue between the Council, the contractors and the public on the next stage of the works at Stromeferry, including plans for partial re-opening of the road.
Tuesday 24 January: Council select contractor for Stromeferry works
The Highland Council has selected TRAC Engineering Ltd to carry out stabilisation works on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass which takes traffic between Wester Ross and Lochalsh/Skye and has been closed due to the danger of rockfall since 22 December, last year.
Following a rockfall, emergency works were undertaken which did not leave a stable rock slope but which did protect the rail line. Urgent tenders were then invited from specialist rope access rock slope contractors, and the tenders were evaluated on both quality and price. TRAC tendered a very detailed submission, which clearly identified their understanding of the issues, their detailed proposals to resolution whilst mitigating risk to their workforce and the travelling public, with the clear aim of re-establishing traffic on the road as soon as is practical.
TRAC will work in partnership with The Highland Council and its specialist consultant URS, and together with Network Rail will agree the detailed proposals and programme for completion.
Works will commence as soon as method statements and all rail line protections have been agreed with Network Rail and health and the safety issues have been addressed. TRAC are planning to have both day and night shift operations and are confident to have made sufficient progress to enable the Council to partially reopen the road on 17 February.
Their proposals are to provide robust protection to the rail line and then remove all the loose rock material by scaling and the road will need to remain closed for this stage. Netting of the slope will then be undertaken which will allow the road to be opened during the day, currently envisaged to be 08.00 to 18.00.
During night time road closures TRAC would then undertake additional rock anchor and netting works, to render the slope stable into the future. It is envisaged that works will be complete by 17 March when the road will be fully opened to traffic.
During the works an evaluation of the full length of the rock slopes will be undertaken, and other precautionary works will be undertaken as necessary.
Friday 21 January: New ferry timetables at Stromeferry
The introduction on Monday 23 January of an early morning train service between Inverness and Kyle, arriving in Kyle at 8.40am, has resulted in changes to the timetable of the passenger ferry service which has been introduced between North and South Strome to combat the closure of the A890 Stromeferry Bypass.
[Details here.]
Monday — Friday, the 60-passenger Sula Mhor from Plockton will make two return journeys in the morning, leaving South Strome at 8.00am and 9.20am, and North Strome at 8.15am and 9.30am. In the afternoon it will leave South Strome at 4.15pm; 4.35pm and 5.40pm and North Strome at 4.25pm.
On Saturday, the passenger ferry will make two single runs, leaving North Strome at 9.30am and South Strome at 5.40pm.
On Sunday, the passenger ferry will make one return journey in the morning, leaving South Strome at 10.20am and returning from North Strome at 10.30am. In the afternoon, the ferry will leave South Strome at 2.20pm and North Strome at 2.30 pm. Between these times council staff will be available at both slipways to contact the ferry for use. Bus connections will be provided for the scheduled sailings only.
| Sula Mhor 60-Passenger Ferry (from 23 January) | ||
| depart South Strome | depart North Strome | |
| Mon — Fri | 8.00am | 8.15am |
| 9.20am | 9.30am | |
| 4.15pm | 4.25pm | |
| 4.35pm | ||
| 5.40pm | ||
| Saturday | 9.30am | |
| 5.40pm | ||
| Sunday | 10.20am | 10.30am |
| Between these times on Sunday, council staff will be available at both slipways to contact the ferry for use. Bus connections will be provided for the scheduled sailings only. | ||
| 2.20pm | 2.30pm | |
The operating hours of the six-car ferry, the Glenachulish, are also changing from Monday 23 January to meet the needs of the local business community travelling between Wester Ross and Lochalsh, which were highlighted at public meetings earlier in the week. Weather permitting, the ferry will operate 7.00am–6.00pm between Monday and Saturday. It will not run on Sunday 22 January or any Sunday to give the crew their required rest time.
Due to the limited capacity of the ferry, priority is given to local traffic, with a ticketing system in place at the Golf Course Car Park at Lochcarron and the approaches to South Strome Ferry.
| Glenachulish 6-Car Ferry (from 23 January) | ||
| Monday — Saturday | 7.00am–6.00pm | |
| Sunday | no sailing | |
Travel on both ferries is free.
The 46 pupils from Kishorn and Lochcarron will travel daily to Plockton High School from Monday 23 January on the early morning train, arriving for the start of the school day. They will return home at the end of the school day by bus and cross the Strome Narrows on the passenger ferry from South Strome at 4.15pm and 4.35pm. In the event of adverse weather, they will return home by train, which arrives at Strathcarron at 5.56 pm.
The 10 pupils from Applecross, who stay in hostel accommodation at Plockton Monday - Friday, will also travel by train on Monday and return on Friday by passenger ferry.
The A 890 Lochcarron - Kyle/Plockton road has been closed since 22 December, last year, as the result of landslides and the continuing danger of further rock fall at a point 100 yards west of the Avalanche Shelter.
The Council aims to award a contract for stabilisation works early next week. Four contractors have been invited to submit their bids, setting out their methods for as quickly and safely as possible getting the road back open. The earliest indication of the road opening — on a temporary basis — is 17 February, with completion of remedial work planned for mid April.
As a matter of urgency, the Council is examining options for a long term solution for replacing the existing Stromeferry Bypass, including a bridge across the Strome Narrows, a new by-pass and an extension of the avalanche shelters.
Public meetings were held on Monday 16 January at Lochcarron and on Wednesday 18 January at Achmore when more than 300 people turned out to have their say on the closure.
Update: Monday 16 January from Highland Council
Public Meeting re Stromeferry By-Pass Closure
at Achmore Village Hall — 7pm Wednesday 18 January
Council officials will update local residents on the measures being taken to combat the closure of the road due to the danger of rockfall and to review the first day of the ferry services.
Councillor John Laing, Chairman of TEC Services, will chair the meeting to which all are invited.
Update: Thursday 12 January from Highland Council
We really cannot stress too much that capacity on the ferry service is very limited and the advice remains that everything except local priority traffic should continue to use the A87/A82. For this reason, the "Road Ahead Closed" sign at Auchtertyre will remain in place even once the ferry is operating.
We expect to issue more details in a further Press Release on Friday.
Friday 6 January from Highland Council
The Highland Council is working to secure the services of a car and a passenger ferry which it will introduce next week as an emergency measure in the wake of the ongoing closure of the A890 Stromeferry by-pass between Lochcarron and Plockton/Kyle.
The ferries are needed because the Council has been advised by consultants that the road must remain closed to traffic until works to make the rock face safe are completed, following landslides at a point 100 yards west of the Avalanche Shelter, as there is still a significant risk of further rock falls affecting the road.
The main east-west diversion remains the A82/A87 trunk road and the Inverness — Kyle railway line remains open.
It is intended that a 61-passenger ferry, from Plockton, will operate between North Strome, near Lochcarron and Plockton from the middle of next week, once trials at the slipways are completed and floodlighting has been installed.
It is also intended to operate the six-car ferry from Glenelg between North and South Strome. Travel will be restricted to vehicles under 10-tonnes and priority will be given to emergency vehicles and local traffic.
Plockton High School re-opens on Monday 9 January and the Education Culture and Sport Service has advised that pupils from the Applecross and Lochcarron areas should travel to school by train during the first week back at school. There will be no charge for these train journeys.
The school timetable will be rearranged to accommodate the 46 pupils from Lochcarron, who travel to school daily as the train arrives in Plockton at 11.16 am and returns at 5.26 pm from Plockton. Ten pupils from Applecross stay in hostel accommodation on school days. Norma Young, Senior Education Officer for Ross Skye and Lochaber, will co-ordinate these travel arrangements.
On week two, it is possible that pupils will be able to use the passenger ferry from North Strome to Plockton.
Neil Gillies, Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services, said:
"We are being strongly advised that significant works will be required to stabilise the rock slope and we are looking at the road remaining closed for at least another two weeks, depending on the extent of the works required to stabilise the rock face. "While the roadway is now clear of rock, the danger of further rock fall is deemed too great for us to allow any vehicles to use the road.
"We are in discussion with Network Rail to see if we can divert traffic on to the railway line but this is not likely to be a quick fix as firstly we need the permission of Network Rail to undertake the work and it takes time to lay sleepers on the track and adequately protect cars from the rock face and the loch.
"We are making good progress on securing the passenger and car ferries and we hope that these will be operational by the middle of next week.
"We fully appreciate the inconvenience caused by the road closure and we are doing everything we can to provide an alternative means of transport between Lochcarron and Plockton/Kyle."
Robert K Bain,Ward Manager (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer & Lochalsh) on Friday 6 January 2012.
