Motorists face diversions as Highland Council addresses traffic light outage
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A significant traffic disruption has occurred on the B9090 road in Nairn, where council workers have closed the route following a failure of temporary traffic lights. The lights, which are essential for managing traffic flow around a section of the road undergoing repairs due to subsidence, ran out of charge, leading to a complete standstill for motorists this morning.
Current situation and diversions
As repairs are being carried out by Highland Council, the road has been reduced to one lane to allow vehicles to navigate around the damaged area. However, the unexpected failure of the temporary traffic lights has forced drivers to face a temporary diversion of approximately 3.7 miles along the B9101 and the A939.
This diversion is necessary while the batteries of the traffic lights are being recharged, causing frustration among local drivers.
Highland Council’s response
Highland Council has publicly acknowledged the inconvenience caused by this situation. In a statement shared on social media, they explained, “The closure is in place to allow temporary traffic lights to be recharged. The temporary traffic lights are in place due to subsidence of the road which is pending repair.” They assured the public that traffic management and signage would be in place, and the lights should be operational again later in the afternoon.
Public reaction and suggestions
The council’s announcement has not been well received by all. Some motorists expressed their dissatisfaction, questioning why a more robust solution, such as a larger battery or a diesel generator, was not utilized to prevent such disruptions. One concerned driver commented, “I know we’re trying to be more environmentally friendly and temporary traffic lights are all battery powered now … but could they really not have sent someone out with a diesel generator or even a larger battery to charge them in situ, or swap them out for a fully charged set?” This sentiment reflects a growing frustration among drivers who rely on these routes for their daily commutes.
As Highland Council continues to address the situation, it remains to be seen how they will manage similar incidents in the future to minimize disruption for local residents and commuters.
