THE PROGRESS OF SCOTTISH HIGHWAYS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—The writer of the article, " The Progress of Scottish Highways," appearing in your issue of June 9th, makes a rash statement when he says, " It was perhaps a pity that when the decision to remake the entire main road from Perth to Inverness two years ago was arrived at, it was not closed to traffic altogether." Can he visualize what the position would have been if the Ministry of Transport had taken the drastic steps suggested ? This hundred odd miles of road serves numerous towns and villages, and in some cases is the only means of approach to shooting lodges and crofts, and it is no secret that the bulk of the people residing in, the towns and villages rely almost entirely upon summer visitors and passing traffic for their livelihood.
Does he suggest that this was to be cut off ?
And he is incorrect when he states that the decision to remake the road was come to two years ago. The surveyors were at work in 1924 and work was actually commenced in 1925.
The suggestion that the East and West routes to Inverness might have been used cannot be seriously considered when one takes into consideration a journey from, say, Perth to Kingussie by either of these routes. There has been a certain amount of inconvenience on the North Road during the process
of remaking, but nothing like what there would have been if traffic had had to be diverted round' Aberdeen or Fort
William.
Whether the road, which is now nearly completed, is a success will remain a contentious point for many a year. It may be wider than the old one, and have less surprises in
gradients; but it has altered the character of the going and has laid' the hand of man obtruSively on one of Scotland's
giihdest paises. The Scottish roads are not so bad as they are often painted, the trouble being the lack of proficieney in many of the motorists, who make a hurried tour and then spend their leisure in endeavouring to explain away their own inefficiencies.—I am, Sir, &c., ROSSLYN Coil.
50 George Street, Edinburgh.
Previous page
