Applecross Bealach Na Ba road closure

Scooter Boy

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Just read that he Bealach na Ba Road mountain pass to Applecross will be closed for 6 weeks from 26th of March.

'The road is going to be closed due to the laying of fibre cables, although the council are planning to make improvements to the road at the same time (as it is closed anyway) to prevent further closures at some point. It sounds like the whole route will be closed with the snow gates at either side shut'.

'The chances are it won't be closed constantly but may be open for a short window early morning and late in the day for locals (and anyone else) with most of the work being carried out in daylight hours'.

Just in case anyone is planning an early spring NC 500 trip.
 
Good post as it was on our NC500and if you are doing the West coast its a lovely road to ride.
 
Someone on Facebook posted this:

Rhoda Grant

Like This Page · 19 hrs ·



I have stepped in to try and resolve concerns from constituents in Wester Ross after they learned that the Bealach Na Ba, Applecross- Kishorn road, which is part of the NC500 and climbs to 2053 feet will be closed for up to six weeks from March 26th,

I was contacted and advised that closing this route, which is part of a vital link between Applecross and Sheildaig /Lochcarron and the wider area, would cause real issues for the Applecross community in particular. There is the coastal route between Applecross and Sheildaig which can be utilised as an alternative, but this route takes much longer. The other issue is that this community relies heavily on tourism and I am advised that this iconic NC500 route will be closed over the Easter weekend. This would have a major impact on the local businesses without a doubt.

I have made contact with SSE who are laying fibre optic cable which is capable of carrying broadband services provided by other broadband suppliers along this route, which is a real positive step in relation to connectivity for those resident or working within the Applecross community and asked if these works could be managed to alleviate problems for the travelling public, especially over the Easter Weekend. I have also contacted Highland Council who hope to use the road closure period to attend to urgent and much needed road works on this route. The route will be open every night and at weekends I am advised. I have also established that the consultation has not yet commenced with consultation letters being drawn up now as they have to start the consulting period eight weeks before the works starts. All stakeholders should be receiving these letters next week.

At the end of the day for safety reasons the road will have to be closed during these works at daytime, Monday to Friday, but I have asked for consideration of the works to stop and the road be opened over the Easter weekend. This would only mean no work being carried out on Friday 30th March and Monday 2 April as the road will be open in any case on Saturday 30th and Sunday 1st April. I am delighted to learn from SSE that all options are on the table and if there is a strong view from the consultees that the road should be opened over the Easter weekend then SSE will seriously consider this request. What I would say to those concerned is to make sure they take advantage of the consultation period. Personally I would like SSE and Highland Council to keep the road open as much as is practically possible and if there were opportunities for it to be opened through the day to give the local community advance warning.

Stop Press: SSE have just advised that this road will not now close until Monday 9th April 2018
 
They manage where I live to do it without closing the road that’s singletrack. Maybe get some of those craters filled in at the same time.
 
So if it's still shut for 6 weeks it now includes the first May bank holiday and quite possibly the 2nd. :blast
 
They managed to re-do a long stretch of the main A7 through the centre of Galashiels - during the night, for a couple of weeks- due to its importance.

Maybe the locals need to suggest this as a way of maintaining trade and some sort of normality.

It’ll cost more, but could be worth it in the long run.
 
Bealach Na Ba

"Latest info from SSE I have on closure times here. Any changes after further consultation with locals and local groups will be notified to you:

Works are scheduled to start from the 9th of April as requested by the local community and this avoids the Easter Break and then the times for the closure will be:
• Gates close and manned at both sides 09:00
• Gates open 16:00
• Gates close and manned at both sides 17:30
• Gates open 23:00 and route accessible
Staff will be at the bottom of the hill at each side with Radios to allow Emergency Vehicles (Ambulance/Fire/Police). And locals who we understand have in times past driven to hospital in an emergency rather than wait for the Ambulance. We will be able to allow these vehicles through during the closure.

The road will be open at the weekend but we will still be working on sections and this will be controlled by the use of stop and go traffic management as authorised by Highland Council and there will be minimal delays onsite up to 15mins max.

We will have signage up in Lochcarron and Shieldaig to notify the public that “Applecross is Open For Business as usual with alternative route available ” and highlight the times of the closure during the week and the weekend delays but route open with minimal traffic disruption".
 
Well I am planning the weekend after, what a load of cock!!

I don't know why folk bother, it's a honking road, better off just cutting through to Shieldaig towards Torridon.

I agree to certain extent. It is not going to ruin your tour if you don’t do it. The roads further North are better. Having said that, the two tight hairpins can be interesting from a ‘spectating’ point of view. We Southerners are not used to such rapid elevation/direction changes :D
 
You can thank my neighbour Ian Blackford for that

I welcome the announcement from SSE that the threat of a six-week daytime closure of the Bealach Na Ba, has been removed. This proposal was strongly opposed by those at the meeting I hosted in Applecross on Thursday and I am delighted that SSE have taken note.

An evening closure in lighter summer months was a more preferable option I put forward and this was supported by the local community. SSE now plan to close the road overnight for six weeks between the 11th June and 20th July, Monday to Friday between the hours of 6pm and 7:30am

I thank SSE for listening to the legitimate concerns of residents in Applecross on the negative impact to the local community, businesses and tourist traffic from the proposed closure of this main access route between April and May.

However, I will consult with locals on the practicalities of these new timings and make sure that the proposed hours will still allow the normal access to and from Applecross, for example, pupils of Plockton High School.

I also intend to continue a dialogue with SSE and the MoD to make sure that all in the local community will have the opportunity to benefit from fibre broadband hope that in future we can look forward to SSE, the MoD working in co-operaation with the local community to their mutual benefit.

SNP bad :augie
 
Good job....apart from the local community there will be a lot of bikers who will be happy with that news.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
I suspect there will be a group of SSE employees who are not particularly happy with the work being moved into peak midgie season!
 


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