Allan Campbell - 1.6.23

Mar a dh’èirich dhan a’ mhòr-shluagh a bha mothachail air naidheachdan an Eilein Sgitheanaich bha mise cuideachd air tòrr a chluinntinn mu staid ròidean an Eilein, agus bha mi mar sin air mo dheisealachadh nuair a shiubhail mi ann bho chionn ghoirid, a’ chiad turas bho chionn faisg air trì mìosan. Ach abair iongnadh a bha romham nuair a ràinig mi a-null, agus ann a bhith a’ siubhal eadar Caol Àcain is Port Rìgh, is à sin gu ruige Caileabost, agus air ais taobh an t-Sruthain, bha e follaiseach gun robh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air mòran obair-càraidh mhath a dhèanamh ann an ùine glè ghoirid. Bidh e coltach gun do ghabhadh seo os làimh cho luath ’s a chaidh buidseat càraidh aontachadh air son na bliadhna ionmhais ùire aig a’ Chomhairle, agus saoilidh mi gum bheil oifigich agus luchd-obrach airidh air moladh airson an cuid dealais a’ cur na h-obrach riatanach seo air adhart. Tha sinn deiseil gu leòr ann a bhith gan càineadh aig amannan, fiù ’s nuair nach eil smachd aca air suidheachadh far am bheil gainnead airgid a’ bacadh obair-leasachaidh sam bith, agus mar sin tha fhios gur còir aithne thoirt dhaibh nuair a nì iad obair ealanta cho sgiobalta!

 

Thàinig loidhnichean tuairisgeulach bho làithean na bun-sgoile, agus ionnsachadh beagan de dh’eachdraidh an ochdamh linne deug nam chuimhne, agus shaoil mi gun robh iad air leth iomchaidh! If you’d seen these roads before they were made, you would lift up your hands and bless General Wade! Oir, ged a rinn an obair-càraidh seo feum mòr dha luchd- siubhail agus an cuid charbadan, gu follaiseach chan eil faisg gu leòr de mhaoin aig Comhairlean Alba gus làn-leasachadh iomchaidh a thoirt air na ròidean a tha an urra riutha. A dh’aindeoin ’s na rinneadh de chàradh tha am feum a th’ ann air tuilleadh obrach gu math nochdte fhathast feadh na Gàidhealtachd gu lèir, agus tha cuid de ròidean singilte ann am fìor dhroch staid agus a’ sìor dhol bhuaithe. Bheil mi a’ fàs mar phìobaire an aona-phuirt leis an aon langan air staid ròidean? Theagamh gum bheil, ach saoilidh mi gum bheil cead agus saorsa siubhail a’ mhòr-shluaigh deatamach, agus tha an còir a th’ aig daoine a tha a’ còmhnaidh ann an sgìrean iomallach air slighean dòigheil a-mach ’s a-steach bhon dachaighean.

 

B’ e “gillean an rathaid” a chante san sgìre againne ris na fir a bha an urra ri obair-càraidh nan ròidean. Gun teagamh b’ e saoghal eadar-dhealaichte a bha sin le na bu lugha trafaig, agus sin mòran na b’ aotruime, ach bha iad a’ cumail smachd air cùisean. Nuair a thigeadh an nàbaidh a bha na ghafair air sgioba na sgìre air chèilidh is a dh’fhaighnicheadh m’ athair dè bha dol, b ’ e “a’ paidseadh” am freagairt àbhaisteach. Tha seanfhacal ag ràdh gur uaisle toll na tuthag, ach chan eil dad uasal mu na tuill a th’ air feadh ar cuid ròidean!

 

Long-running reports of the poor state of Skye’s roads meant that I was prepared for difficult conditions when I visited the island last week, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that extensive resurfacing had taken place on the main routes that I travelled from Kyle to Dunvegan, via Portree, returning via Struan.  Road users are, quite rightly, ready to complain when standards deteriorate, and officials suffer criticism even when lack of resources means they are unable to take remedial action. So, given the short period since the start of the new financial year, I feel Highland Council roads department deserves congratulations for its prompt action on some of the Skye roads.

 

Reflecting the limitations of budget, however, all problems have not been eradicated and many single-track roads across the Highlands are in a poor condition, and the people who live in the communities served by these routes have a right to a safe access to their homes.

 

Experiencing the repaired routes in Skye, I recalled a quotation learned in primary school, when we were being taught some 18th-century Scottish history, that seemed appropriate three centuries forward. “If you’d seen these roads before they were made, you would lift up your hands and bless General Wade!”