SSEN Transmission seeks solutions to minimise impact of essential A832 roadworks following community feedback

As a result of the feedback received to date, the company is now working to further minimise the impact of the works that are necessary to replace or upgrade 37 culverts along the cable route. Options under review include a proposal for single lane closures with traffic management, extended periods of daily access and overnight working. An update on this work will be provided in the coming weeks, and a series of in-person engagement sessions will take place in October giving communities a further opportunity to provide feedback on the proposals. Event details will be shared in due course.

Niall Macleod, Project Director for SSEN Transmission, said: 

“We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback to date, which we are actively considering. We are fully committed to ongoing engagement with road users, local communities and stakeholders as we develop our proposals, and we are working on solutions to minimise the impact of the proposed temporary closure in direct response to the feedback we have received so far. From the outset we have been mindful of the impact on local road users and have rerouted the cable from the road wherever possible, reducing the length of road that would be affected by 50km.  There are some areas where it is technically difficult to achieve this, particularly along the impacted section of the A832 where terrain, topography and space constraints are challenging.Nonetheless we are actively seeking solutions in recognition of the level of disruption that people will experience, working with our contractors to review any potential changes that could minimise day-to-day impacts while allowing us to complete this work safely. We are committed to delivering long-term benefits as part of this project, and once the cable installation is complete the affected carriageway will be resurfaced, and crash barriers will be replaced. Along with our culvert replacement work, these improvements will enhance road safety, resilience, and overall condition for all users.”