The A82 is a major road in Scotland that runs from Glasgow to Inverness via Fort William.
There are daily problems on the road with on average of one death per month, and at least two serious accidents every week. People using the road feel it is unsuitable for modern day connectivity.
As a major route for tourists we know that there are differences on the road between summer and winter but both offer challenges.
When there is an accident inquiry after a death on the road we are often told it was not the fault of the road, but the road is still unsafe.
In the words of someone who lost multiple family members in one day on the road: “we want to make sure we have done everything we can to make this road safe, in order that no one else dies on the road”.
Unless the Scottish Government commits to upgrading the road, we are fearful that it will continue to hold the mantle of ‘The Forgotten Road’. The road is a commute for some, it is a tourist route, it is a pathway for school kids, it is a place of work for both road users and those who work on the side of the road.
It is time to make it safe on the A82, and make sure that it is not the poor cousin of the A9. It is plagued with problems, and it is time for the Scottish Government to take it seriously.