“Every day is a ticking timebomb” is the way one grandmother describes life after her son and his family were killed in a crash.
The A82 Inverness to Glasgow road is notorious in the Highlands, and has been named as Scotland’s most dangerous.
And tonight, Samantha Cousin will share her heartbreak – and anger – with viewers of BBC1’s Panorama, after her whole family were killed on the road nearly two years ago.
Rhys Cousin and his wife Gemma, 26, and two daughters Peyton, three, and Heidi, one, died on February 20, 2020 in a two-vehicle crash near the Nevis Range turn-off, just north of Fort William.
Miss Cousin, who is originally from Inverness but now lives in Orkney, has been campaigning for improvements since the tragedy.
Britain’s deadliest road on Panorama
During tonight’s programme, Panorama looks at concerns of Britain’s Killer Roads, including the A82.
Miss Cousin has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress on improving the road, and claims “nothing” has been done since her son’s family died.
Miss Cousin said: “Few people have any idea of what it is like to lose someone in a car accident. And I do not know anyone who has lost four of their family in one day.
“It is the stuff of nightmares. Peyton was only three, Heidi was only one – she had not learned to walk.
“We are at the graveside marking birthdays when they should be jumping about on bouncy castles and eating cake.”
Last year the Press and Journal revealed that in 10 years, 50 people had been killed on the A82.
Miss Cousin added: “We have taken our concerns to parliament, we have started a campaign online, we have spoken to politicians and still nothing has been done.
“We are asking for simple solutions here. Make the road wider. Make the road slower. Give advice on the roadside for drivers. Put lights on the side of the road. Put up deer fences. But do not ignore us.
“Anyone who goes out on that road for work or for leisure never knows if they are coming home. That is the brutal truth. It is a death trap.
“On the night that my beautiful family died, our lives were ripped apart.
‘I feel to blame’
“I don’t care what anyone says, I can not help but to feel to blame that I can not stop accidents on that road.
“Every day is like a ticking timebomb, waiting to see if someone else’s family has been killed. One death is too many, can you imagine the pain of four?
“Every time I hear of a road closure my heart goes out to the family. They are at the start of what we have all being going through. I grieve for every single one of them.
“I do not want anyone to have to go through this, it is desperate and appalling.
“Please, please anyone who thinks they might be able to help me, get in touch with me. It is only when we all come together, and with BBC Panorama and the Press and Journal listening to me, and our family, that something might be done.”
‘We value the views of the family’
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We extend our sympathy to the Cousin family following the tragic accident of February 2020. With the family so deeply affected by a road safety incident we strongly value their views and have written to them previously on this issue.
“The A82 runs over 160 miles through a varied and frequently challenging landscape and can be subject to difficult driving conditions. From 2007 to September 2021, £159 million has been invested in the management and maintenance of the A82 trunk road in the North West.
“The route is subject to targeted interventions by safety camera units and wider Police Scotland enforcement to help address driver behaviour, and the A82 also forms part of an ongoing programme to improve motorcycle safety.
“Work is ongoing to develop the improvement scheme for the A82 between Tarbert and Inverarnan which aims to help improve safety and journey time reliability. To inform this project we undertook a consultation last year asking the public about their experiences of using this route.
“Further improvements to the route will be identified as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review and we will continue to make targeted investment to improve the safety, resilience and operational efficiency of this key route.”
‘No direction for further police action’
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A full investigation was carried out following a fatal road crash on the A82 near Torlundy in February 2020.
“A report of the circumstances was submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and there has been no direction for further police action.
“Every loss of life on our roads is a tragedy but the impact on families, friends and entire communities after an incident like this cannot be underestimated. Our thoughts are with everyone who was involved or affected.”
Panorama will be shown on BBC1 at 7.30pm tonight.
