Bailiff's anger over shock road closure

A Sutherland water bailiff has hit out at Highland Council for not directly warning him that the B road leading to his remote home was set to close.

Richard Wright, who lives with his wife Jessica and their children three miles outside Syre, was shocked to learn through a friend last Friday that the B873 route was to close down at the start of this week.

He was even more frustrated at not being able to contact any Highland Council official on the Friday to explain the restrictions his family would have to cope with.

Mr Wright, who works for River Naver Fisheries, said: "We had no letters or correspondence from anyone in Highland Council regarding the restriction. I feel that we have been totally let down the authority and completely kept out of the loop about what is going on."

The single-track B873 Syre to Altnaharra route stretches 11 miles and connects at Altnaharra with the A836 Lairg to Tongue route at Syre with the B871 Kinbrace to Bettyhill route.

The road, which is pot holed and falling away at the sides, is being resurfaced to make it robust enough to take articulated lorries carrying timber extracted from nearby forests.

Signs were put up to say work was to take place – although there was no mention of closure. Mr Wright says he welcomes the upgrade and understands it has to be done but that his objection is the lack of information leading up to work starting.

He only learned about it when a friend sent him a copy of the public announcement of the road closure, published in the Northern Times last Friday. The announcement states that the road is to be closed for more than three months; until the New Year.

The news left the family with questions over access to their home not just for themselves but for the school bus and postal and courier deliveries.

Mr Wright was concerned over whether he would be able to carry out his bailiff duties .

The couple are also anxious over the impact the closure will have in the run-up to Christmas on Mrs Wright’s craft business Just Wright Crafts which she runs from home.

Attempts last Friday to extract answers from Highland Council came to nothing.

Mr Wright said: "I was told I would have to speak to the council’s roads operations manager but he did not respond or return any messages left for him through the course of the day."

The family has since learned that the road will be shut to all but essential traffic from 7am to 6pm but that, as residents, they will be allowed through as will the school bus.

But they face weeks of inconvenience and also financial loss with customers unable to access Mrs Wright’s craft studio.

Mr Wright said: "There is only one road in and out here and it’s not like there are 1000 houses on it - there is just us and a holiday home. I have been told that the community council was informed of the closure but obviously no one thought it relevant to tell the people living in the area affected. We were just kept in the dark,"

A council spokesman said it was required to publish a statutory notice regarding road closures in the local paper, which had been done.

The authority had also notified a number of parties – as also required – including school transport, public transport, ward managers and the waste collection service.

She said: "There is no requirement for the council to consult with individual properties or businesses on the route."