In April and May around £10m has been invested in the North West Trunk Road network, with a further £7m due to be spent in June. BEAR has delivered a variety of resurfacing, road safety and maintenance schemes on behalf of Transport Scotland.

Over 54 resurfacing projects have been undertaken, including major projects on the A86 near Loch Laggan and A83 north of Bellochantuy. These surfacing improvements have addressed and repaired deterioration in the road surface such as potholes or cracks, creating safer and smoother journeys for road users.

A road safety scheme which involved the widening of a footway near Lochnell Primary School in Benderloch was completed in May. The project also involved teams installing new road signs which had been designed by pupils from the school. The completed project will provide safer pedestrian facilities through the village and is part of Transport Scotland’s continuing road safety investment in the area.

BEAR has also delivered a £1.7m maintenance project on the A9 Cromarty Bridge. Approximately 8,000 tonnes of rock armour was installed around five of the bridge’s pier foundations. The rock armour was placed using an excavator on top of a barge which was anchored to the seabed in the Cromarty Firth. The new rock armour will help protect the structure against scour for years to come.

Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “We remain committed to ensuring trunk roads across the North West of Scotland remain at the highest of standards. We have encountered a busy period since the beginning of the new financial year due to the extent of projects being carried out across the network.

“Our teams have worked hard to complete a variety of schemes ranging from essential bridge maintenance, resurfacing schemes to landscaping works.

“We would like to thank all road users and the local communities for their continued patience. We understand some frustrations can arise; however, we carefully plan the majority of projects to take place overnight in order to minimise disruption as much as possible.”