Draft road orders and an environmental statement for the Crianlarich bypass were published last week and marked the start of a six-week consultation process for the upgrade.

The proposed improvement will see the construction of almost half a mile of single two-lane carriageway from the south of Crianlarich to the north of the village.

The aim of the bypass is to significantly improve delays at the existing A85/A82 junction and reduce journey times along the A82.

It also plans to enhance safety by reducing the volume of traffic passing under the two railway bridges in the village.

The scheme is expected to be completed by 2011/2012, allowing for the possibility of a Public Local Enquiry.

It is understood that a further announcement will be made in the next few months regarding the preferred option for the Pulpit Rock realignment, where "temporary" traffic lights have been in place for over 20 years.

A spokesman for the A82 Partnership, which has led a high profile and widely-supported campaign demanding an upgrade of the notorious trunk route, said it was pleased with the investment at Crianlarich.

The spokesman said: "We obviously welcome this announcement which will see the government meeting part of its 2005 commitment of investment in the A82.

"We now look forward to a similar announcement which will eventually result in the removal of the traffic lights at Pulpit Rock on Loch Lomond-side."

Lochaber Highland councillor Brian Murphy, chairman of the partnership, said: "We will continue to work with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), HiTrans and the local authorities to assist Transport Scotland in delivering the balance of the investment required to bring the A82 from Tarbet to Fort William up to an acceptable standard."

Cllr Murphy added: "It is encouraging to note that Transport Scotland are now recognising the economic benefits which the upgrading of the A82 will bring to the west Highlands and Islands – a point we have continually stressed in all of our presentations to government ministers."

The chairmen of HiTrans and SPT have recently written to the transport minister Stewart Stevenson setting out the economic arguments for the upgrading of the A82 and requesting the appointment of a project manager with a clear remit to deliver the upgrades identified in the Strategic Transport Project Review (STPR).

The STPR, issued last year, called for an investment of up to £250 million in the A82 but failed to provide a timetable for this investment.

s.taylor@lochaber-news.co.uk

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