It's been a long road but the two plus one carriageway overtaking lane by Moy on the A9 Inverness-Perth road has now re-opened a year after it was closed on safety grounds.
The north bound filter lane ends a good distance before the turn-off for south bound traffic into Lynebeg so that there is no longer any risk of collision between traffic.
The new section of road cost £2.6 million to construct and on top of that for most of the past year the Government agency Transport Scotland has forked out around £2,600 a week on a traffic management scheme whilst the solution has been developed.
The turn-off is certainly safe now but what a waste of taxpayers’ money this has been.
The original overtaking lane only stretched for two thirds of a mile. Now a significant part of that has been lost as part of the redesign.
Only a couple of cars can overtake an HGV travelling at the maximum allowed speed limit before the road filters in.
It will, however, be a good spot for the Northern Camera Safety Partnership’s mobile van to clock speeders and continue to boost the Treasury’s coffers.
Hopefully some of that money will come back to the Highlands from Westminster to pay for more badly designed - sorry, needed, road improvements!
NEWTONMORE shinty team’s magnificent last gasp victory against Kyles Athletic at the weekend gave them a Premier Division title to add to their Camanachd Cup triumph against Kingussie in September.
‘More, who won the league title last year, look an incredibly strong side and with their second team doing as well at the firsts this year the club’s future looks very bright.
Meanwhile Kingussie continue to rebuild from the all-conquering side which dominated the game in record breaking style for two decades until recently. The Kings have some very promising youngsters in their ranks.
The balance of power in the game remains very much in Badenoch despite the predictions of many and the best efforts of Fort William in recent years and Kyles this season to take it west.
It’s a winning streak that looks set to continue.
