A890 Stromeferry Road closure & landslip

Not Again !

The A890 West Coast route Kyle to Lochcarron is closed at Stromeferry due to a landslip. 2 cold icy winters followed by a very wet spell has taken it’s toll on the geology of the hillside with 100 tonnes landslip on 22nd December 2011.

This was cleared up for New Year, but before the road had re-opened, another 100 tonnes fell again. Surveys have revealed the hillside is unstable & not safe for vehicles to pass at the foot of the hill. The trains on nearby tracks are being allowed to run. This road closure has huge implications for the area and driving between Lochcarron and Kyle involves a 140 mile (225km) diversion via Inverness and then the A82 to Invermoriston. School pupils who attend Plockton High, getting to the dentist, doing a shop in Kyle are all impractical now, not to mention the difficulties many visitors are going to have and the impact on all businesses, employees, services & facilities. The normal journey is about 18 miles.

Update

The rather famous sign

Calum’s seal tours boat from Plockton has been drafted in to act as a passenger ferry for 60 people. The slipway & ferry service has not been used since the 1970′s at Stromeferry. With a safety check and lighting it is proving to be a useful alternative to get the children to school from Lochcarron & Applecross areas.

The Glen Elg community run ferry which can take 6 cars (max 10 ton) has also been drafted in for now to get local & essential vehicles across the Loch. It is likely this will be needed back in Glen Elg for the start of the visitor season before Easter.

Amended road sign

Another suggestion is to run cars over the railway line, as was done with the previous landslide in the 90′s. However this will mean the loss of the train service, which possibly has greater passenger & supply capacity.