Aviemore residents facing 'horrendous' disruption with road resurfacing through the nights
Aviemore residents are bracing themselves for a week's sleep disruption as a controversial junction upgrade enters a new phase from Sunday.
Highland Council has posted a notice advising them of the closure of Dalfaber Drive for 200 metres eastwards from the B9152 Grampian Road.
"It's going to mean roadworks with all the associated noise and pollution through the night," said Paul Jarvis, the spokesperson for local residents who from day one have opposed the upgrade of the junction, claiming it to be unnecessary.
"They are literally going to start resurfacing on Sunday night from 7pm and carry on each night until six in the morning.
"All those people living in the vicinity are dreading the disruption and the disturbance for such a prolonged time.
"Surely something more amenable could have been arranged?"
Local councillor Bill Lobban told the Strathy: “To say we are all sick fed up with the intolerable delay in completion of these junction improvements is a very mild understatement and may I add not of the Council’s making. Saying that, they do need to be completed.
"I am advised that the alternative to overnight closure is complete daytime closure of Dalfaber Drive at the junction and this would result in heavy vehicle traffic using Frank Spaven Drive.
"Council roads engineers consider that totally unacceptable.
"Most noise-generating activities would appear to be taking place between 7pm and midnight. The disruption to local residents will be horrendous, but leaving the junction in the state that it's in, with yet another tourist season soon upon us, is not worth considering."
The notice states: "The Highland Council's Roads Authority are satisfied that the traffic on the road should be restricted or prohibited because of the likelihood of danger to the public or of serious damage to the road, which is not attributable to such works that are being or are proposed to be executed on or near the road specified in the Schedule to this Notice."
On the question of alternative routes, the notice says there aren't any.
"Consideration has been given to the safety and convenience of alternative routes suitable for the traffic which will be affected by this Notice and shall be signed. As this is a no through road, no alternative routes are possible."
