A north transport consultant has criticised the scheduled improvements to the most notorious stretch of the A9 at Berriedale Braes.
The £9million scheme to divert and widen the north hairpin bend is due to get under way later this year, with four companies bidding to win the contract.
While welcoming the moves, Colin Mackenzie believes it will only be drivers of heavy goods vehicles who will benefit.
Mr Mackenzie came up with a low-cost solution to the long-time troublespot on the trunk road when he was commissioned to do an options study by the local Welbeck Estates in February 2008.
Mr Mackenzie is particularly unhappy that Transport Scotland has not taken up his recommendation to provide new opportunities to overtake slow-moving traffic.
In his study, he costed a climbing lane on the south brae at £1.5 million and cutting back vegetation and improving visibility at stretches north of Berriedale at up to £100,000.
This is in addition to the £1.5 million he estimated it would cost to divert the road to the north of the private cemetery at the north hairpin – the option being pursued by Transport Scotland.
Helmsdale-based Mr Mackenzie said: “I’m very disappointed that Transport Scotland has not addressed the lack of overtaking opportunities.
“The work being carried out to the north hairpin will only take away the risk in respect of HGVs – it won’t really have a significant impact on normal traffic.
“A climbing lane on the south brae and new overtaking opportunities by removing vegetation and improving visibility on stretches north of Berriedale should have been part of the scheme.”
Anson MacAuslan, factor of Welbeck Estates, said community representatives now need to press for the other improvements to be carried out.
He said: “It’s been an extraordinary length of time for anything to happen and the work on the hairpin will alleviate some of the problems caused to HGVs but it will not offer any meaningful improvement to car drivers.
“We need to see the other improvements flagged up in our study being addressed and in a meaningful timescale.”
A Transport Sotland spokesman said: “The Berriedale Braes improvement scheme is being progressed for operational and safety reasons to remove the hairpin bend at the north brae by improving the road alignment.
“The inclusion of an overtaking lane on the south brae on the opposite side of the valley is outwith the scope of this project.
“As is normal, significant site investigation work is used to inform the final estimate on these projects. Contractors have been invited to bid for the project and the contract is due to be awarded later this year.”
The spokessman added that the £3 million figure was an estimate based on initial outline feasibility work and before detailed topographical and ground investigations.
