Road accidents, fallen trees and landslips led to the closure of stretches of three major north roads on nearly 200 occasions in just three years, it emerged last night.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said the A82 Inverness to Glasgow road was closed 97 times and the A83 Tarbert to Campbeltown route, which is prone to landslips near the Rest and Be Thankful, 43 times between 2010 and 2012.
He added that closures were caused in part by 11 fatal accidents on the A82 and five on the A83.
The A95 Oban to Perth road, the scene of 11 fatal accidents over the period, was closed 46 times.
Highland Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor said people would be “shocked” by the figures, and many people had contacted him to express “anger and concern” at the repeated and lengthy closures.
Mr McGrigor said he hoped the Scottish Government and Police Scotland would examine how the aftermath of accidents was dealt with to ensure that roads are re-opened as quickly as possible.
He added: “As a result of these closures, some drivers have been forced to make lengthy and time-consuming detours. While not wishing to underestimate the tragedy to families of fatalities, it seems that litigation is perhaps being used to far too great an extent as an excuse for closing roads and, in some cases, ruining holidays.”
Inverness Chamber of Commerce chairman Stewart Nicol said he found the figures “quite disturbing”, adding that they highlighted the need for continued investment in all forms of transport infrastructure to keep the region moving.
Road closures had a “significant impact” on business and sent out a “very negative message” to tourists, he said. “Road closures have a significant impact on business for a number of reasons,” Mr Nicol added.
“A lot of activity relies on the road infrastructure and there is a lack of alternative routes due to the geography of the region.
“These figures illustrate the need for continued investment in infrastructure.”
Mr Brown insisted “every effort is made” to minimise closures.
The minister added: “These closures have resulted for a variety of reasons, including fallen trees, the recovery of broken-down vehicles and the consequences of road traffic accidents.
“The duration of the closures is dependent on the circumstances of each incident and the closures associated with slight or non-injury accidents are often relatively short in timescale.
“The lengthiest closures are often associated with the clearance and investigation of more serious accidents.”