Delays of up to 30 minutes as road works trigger long traffic jams outside Dingwall
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Road works have triggered significant queuing on the way into Dingwall with cars stretched beyond the Maryburgh roundabout.
The works are being conducted between the turn-off to the Mart and the turn-off to Pitglassie farm for what appears to be resurfacing works.
There was a 10 mph convoy system in place that is causing significant delays of between 30 to 35 minutes from the Leanaig to the outskirts of the town.
Traffic travelling west towards Contin on the A835 has also been severely impeded as have motorists who were makning their way through Maryburgh to the roundabout on the A862.
On the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner website there is a warning of what it called “high impact works” on the A862 Station Road to the Maryburgh roundabout.
Community councillor George Murray was one of those caught in the traffic and expressed his frustration that there was no apparent warning works were to commence.
He said: “What gets me is that there was no advance notice that works were to begin, normally they send out an email weeks and weeks in advance and that didn’t happen or if it did I certainly didn’t see it.
“I was stuck in traffic on the Leanaig, from there it took about 15 minutes to reach the roundabout and from the roundabout it took about another 20 minutes to get into Dingwall.
“It will only get worse as well because in about an hour’s time everyone will be trying to get home.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: "Members of the council's Ross and Cromarty committee agreed in January 2019 a road structural maintenance programme for 2019/20 which prioritises the safety of the travelling public and sustainability of the road network.
"The resurfacing works from the traffic lights to Dingwall Auction Mart on the A862 Station Road to the Maryburgh roundabout will be completed tonight.
"The works will stop at 4pm to allow peak traffic time travel and will resume again overnight for completion and the road will then be swept in due course for any loose chippings."
