The last train transporting oil to Lochaber has pulled into the sidings – paving the way for more traffic on the A82.
In a cost-cutting move announced yesterday, oil will now be brought to the Scottish Fuels depot in Fort William by road instead of rail, resulting in tankers making hundreds of deliveries each year using the “notorious” trunk road.
The oil for the local depot mainly comes from Grangemouth and the decision to switch from rail to road has been slammed by a local transport group, claiming the A82 can not cope with the present volume of traffic.
Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor, Brian Murphy, who is also a member of the Lochaber Transport Forum, said: “This move really annoys me as it is a backward step. The infrastructure is there to transport the oil by train so it is crazy to bring it up by road as the A82 is struggling to cope as it is.
“It is madness as we have a crumbling road which is completely inadequate to take more traffic. I am totally opposed to the move.”
Doug Carmichael, who lives in Oban, is chairman of the group, Friends of the West Highland Lines. He said: “This has probably to do with the fluctuating oil prices, but it will bring even more tanker lorries on to already unsuitable sections of the notorious A82.
“There was an accident near Oban a few years ago involving a tanker which came off the road at a bend. It ended up on its side and the road had to be closed so the oil could be cleared up. It’s obviously a fire risk too.
“If the new owners of the aluminium smelter at Fort William decide to change from rail to either shipping or road in the future, then this would leave the famous West Highland Line without any freight traffic for the first time since the railway was opened in 1894.”
Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said: “I am in regular contact with Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, about plans to ease congestion on the road through Fort William as well as upgrading and improving the A82 generally. The stretch particularly between Tarbet and Inverarnan should be upgraded to 7.3 metres (24ft) wide as the present 6 metres (19ft) makes it nigh impossible for HGVs to pass at normal speed.”
As well as Fort William, deliveries to the Scottish Fuels depot in Lairg, Sutherland, will also come by road.
The company is owned by Certas Energy and a spokesman said: “We can confirm that a decision has been taken to supply the Fort William depot by road to reduce travel costs and improve stockholding efficiency. The depot in Lairg will now receive stock from our Inverness terminal by road.
“The rail contract ended last week and we estimate there will be 400 truck movements annually split between Fort William and Lairg.”
A spokeswoman for Liberty House, which took over the smelter at Fort William last November, said: “We are looking at all options to make the business more efficient and no decision has been taken about transport deliveries to the smelter.”