Loch Arkaig

Difficult to get the tense correct writing a day late. I will pretend it is still Friday.
We had a site day above Loch Arkaig again which actually went well to plan. This and the short commute home allowed resumption of other incomplete cad work in the late afternoon.
The big issue sadly dominating everything else today was the occurrence of yet another fatal road accident on the A82 between Fort William and Spean Bridge. The road was again closed for about 7 hours.
The only viable detour is the narrow back road between Banavie and Gairlochy and in this circumstances becomes grid locked and itself becomes subject to further minor accidents as frustrated travellers try to make trunk road speed progress on what is generally a farm lane with bitmac.
While details are sketchy as yet our thoughts are with the family of the victim, believed to be a young man from Spean Bridge.
Along with rush hour commuters pupils from Lochaber High School who live east of the road closure were also unable to get the bus home. I must give credit and thanks to the staff who quickly organised mini bus transport for the children to the Fort William railway station. The train service is not frequent but a Glasgow bound train reaches Roy Bridge at 6.00pm (and Spean a few minutes earlier).
The loss of life today is tragic but when the subsequent disruption and delays leads to further accidents our politicians really need to look at the bigger picture. I understand the delays are due to the extended hours associated with investigation and the resources have to travel from significant distance. Undoubtedly there is a cost issue –in having the resource based more local to the black spots-but given major improvements of the A82 are unlikely to happen the serious accidents will continue.