Today’s roads debate was painfully predictable.
We have £233 million of identified repairs across the Highlands. We are allocating roughly £22.5 million per year.
In Lochaber, the backlog now stands at £12.5 million — yet we are receiving just £2 million.
At that rate, it will take ten years to clear the current backlog. And that assumes no further deterioration — which anyone driving our roads knows is fantasy.
I called for Highland Council to formally lobby the Scottish Government for additional funding. Even the Council Convenor, Bill Lobban, acknowledged the funding gap — yet still voted against lobbying.
That defies logic.
Worse still, we were told by Councillor Michael Green that there was little point asking because it would not make any difference. It felt like watching Uriah Heep wringing his hands — “what’s the point?”
The point is this: if we don’t ask, if we don’t fight, we definitely won’t get it.
The Highlands deserve representatives who are prepared to demand our fair share — loudly and persistently.
I will continue to do exactly that.