Project Details

Description

BEAR Scotland has been commissioned by Transport Scotland to carry out a second phase of vegetation management works along the A830 trunk road, following completion of Phase 1 works in 2025. Phase 2, which is split into 10 sections, covers 7.7km, and will include works on both the northbound (NB) and southbound (SB) verges.

Phase 2 works will clear vegetation and trees to 5m from the road edge. Approximately 33,010m² of vegetation will be removed, entailing 3,250 trees within various size categories. The works are required to clear vegetation encroachment onto road signs, laybys, safety barriers, and the A830 carriageway, and to improve forward visibility for trunk road users.

Key plant and equipment to be used on site include a tractor with mulching head, Hiab lorry, chainsaws, pole saws, woodchipper, fuel and oil for machinery.

Phase 2 works are currently programmed to commence within the 26/27 Financial Year with a start date of 28/09/2026. Works will be carried out over approximately 5 weeks within daytime hours. Traffic Management (TM) will consist of temporary traffic lights (TTLs) and verge working where possible. The scheme is located on a section of the trunk road with no pedestrian facilities present; however, non-motorised users (NMUs) will still be accommodated within TM. A site compound is not required.

Location

The scheme is located on a 7.7km stretch of the A830 trunk road within the Highland Council administrative area (Figure 1). The scheme is split into 10 sections with National Grid References (NGRs) listed in Table 1 below and location maps of each section illustrated in Figures 2, 3 & 4. The full scheme is located between the following NGRs: Start: NM 95977 79354; End: NM 89408 81181.

Table 1. Individual sections are located between the following NGRs: