Across the North West, a range of projects are being delivered this summer and beyond to improve the safety, resilience and accessibility of Scotland’s trunk road network. From major retaining wall replacements and embankment repairs to new pedestrian crossing facilities and essential routine maintenance, these investments will help ensure the network continues to serve communities, businesses and visitors for years to come.

Keep reading to find out what’s up next for the North West:

Retaining route resilience

A major project to replace the Allt an Deabhtaich retaining wall, located on the A85 in Glen Ogle between Lochearnhead and Lix Toll, will get underway this summer. The existing masonry wall, which supports the slope above the carriageway, will be replaced with a reinforced concrete structure that meets modern standards and provides more robust protection to the carriageway from the slope above.

The project is expected to take around five months to complete and will deliver long-term benefits by improving the safety, resilience and reliability of this key Highland route for years to come.

Careful planning is underway to keep impacts on road users and local communities to a minimum throughout the programme. While the works will take place during the busy summer period, advance notice will help people plan ahead. The works must start in the summer months to prevent any adverse impact on the bats that could hibernate in the wall during winter. To further reduce disruption, the closures required later in the project will take place overnight only, ensuring the A85 remains open during daytime hours when traffic volumes are at their highest.

Protecting access to Pitlochry

BEAR Scotland has started a major project to replace and extend a section of the Tummel retaining wall on the A9 northbound off-slip at Pitlochry’s south junction. The programme, which will continue until the end of December, will improve the long-term resilience of the slip road and help protect it from future riverbank erosion caused by extreme weather. Works will also reinstate a farm access track that was severely damaged by flooding.

The scheme involves embedding large circular steel piles into the riverbank to create a new section of retaining wall where the banking has been eroded by high river levels, helping to safeguard the slip road toward Pitlochry for years to come while minimising impacts on the surrounding river environment.

Next stop: Brora puffin crossing

Following the successful installation of the new puffin crossing in Golspie, we’re looking forward to delivering a similar project in Brora that will enhance safety and accessibility for the local community.

The crossing has been proposed following traffic and pedestrian surveys, which identified a need for a safer and more convenient place for people to cross the A9, particularly during busy periods. Alongside the new crossing, the scheme will include footway improvements, tactile paving and dropped kerbs, carriageway resurfacing, refreshed road markings, bus stop upgrades and drainage enhancements. Together, these improvements will create a safer, more user-friendly environment on the A9 while supporting BEAR Scotland’s wider commitment to improving accessibility across the trunk road network.

A cut above

As summer gets into full swing, our annual programme of cyclic maintenance activities will continue across the North West.

Seasonal tasks such as grass cutting, weed treatment and sign cleaning play an important role in keeping the trunk road network safe, functional and looking its best throughout the warmer months.

This routine maintenance forms part of our ongoing commitment to providing safe and reliable journeys for the communities, businesses and visitors who depend on Scotland’s trunk roads every day.

Whether you’re making the most of the summer weather or travelling further afield across Scotland, please take extra care when approaching roadworks. Following temporary traffic management measures, including signs and speed limits, helps keep road users and our workforce safe while essential maintenance is carried out.