[letter sent to SCC. B.B. will also speak at tonight’s Council meeting]
As agreed at the Strathdearn Community Council meeting on 9 December, we have carried out further reviews in relation to the concerns raised regarding the provision of temporary lighting for the new temporary Tomatin junction.
We can advise that all temporary diversions – including the Tomatin realignment and Tomatin temporary access junction – adhere to the assessment process as set out in the relevant standards within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). As part of this assessment process, an independent road safety auditor carries out a Stage 2 Road Safety Audit, which as audit of the design. This is a thorough review of the agreed design of the diversion undertaken by a team of independent Road Safety Auditors. This Stage 2 Road Safety Audit was carried out on the Tomatin realignment and access junction. It can be confirmed that the Stage 2 Road Safety Audit did not identify the need for provision of temporary lighting at this junction.
The assessment process set out in the DMRB standards requires a Stage 3 Road Safety Audit to be undertaken post opening of a road section or junction. We can confirm that the Stage 3 Road Safety Audit was carried out on 16 December, which was soon after the opening to traffic of the temporary realignment at Tomatin. It can be confirmed that the Stage 3 Road Safety Audit did not identify the need for provision of temporary lighting at this junction.
In order to ensure that the concerns raised by the Community are further considered, we have arranged for a supplementary Stage 3 Road Safety Audit which will be carried out on site by a qualified independent road safety auditor shortly after opening of the temporary junction at Tomatin. This audit will be carried out in both daylight hours and nighttime hours to ensure that all light conditions are considered. Once that audit is complete, we will review the comments made by the assessing auditor and provide the Community Council with a further update.
Additionally, as part of this temporary diversion, signage will be improved in the area – including signage for Tomatin. The road benefits from new surfacing and reflective road studs to increase visibility during nighttime. It is also noted that the road users are currently limited to a 40mph speed limit while traveling through the project site. Road users are on the whole abiding by this speed limit which results in safer conditions for the community, our workforce and non-motorised users while we undertake this project.
