Sutherland community's 'anger' over speed limit calls

Residents of a Highlands community have become "increasingly angry" at a local authority's response to their calls for road safety improvements.

People in Elphin, 15 miles north of Ullapool, raised a petition in 2015 asking for a 40mph speed on approaches to the village to be reduced.

Highland Council has yet to put in place any of the speed calming measures suggested, say residents.

The local authority said it would investigate.

A council spokesperson said "no guarantees have been given regarding the outcome of these investigations".

Elphin, a community of about 44 houses, is on the A835, which forms part of the popular North Coast 500 (NC500) tourist route.

When the petition was raised in 2015, residents asked Highland Council to reduce the speed limit on bends in the road to help better protect children catching a bus to school.

Since then, residents said traffic had increased due to the popularity of the NC500.

'Public scrutiny'

Bill Badger, a spokesman for the community's campaign for improved road safety, said electronic signs warning motorists about their speed had been offered nine times and should have been installed late last year.

He said the community's anger and frustration at Highland Council's response was made clear to a senior roads official at a meeting earlier this week.

A council spokesperson said the local authority would investigate the "possibility of pursuing speed reduction and traffic calming measures" in Elphin, including the extension of 40mph speed limits either side of the village and the introduction of new 30mph speed limits within the village.

The spokesperson added: "The council is proposing to improve signage and to introduce double white no overtaking lines.

"No guarantees have been given regarding the outcome of these investigations as members will need to be consulted, and permanent traffic orders - which would require to be advertised for public scrutiny - would also need to be made."

Councillors sitting on the local area committee would be asked to make any decision on the measures.