Two former area police commanders have urged Highland Council to share the findings of a roads condition survey.
There is growing anger about the potholes across the region, and now road safety campaigners are demanding to know what the local authority is planning to to do about conditions.
The local authority received its annual survey report in December, but have so far refused to share the findings – insisting they need more time to assess them.
It said it would publish the report in a paper to councillors.
The findings of an independent inspection of all 32 local authority non-trunk routes are published each year.
A dozen complaints a week
The report measures the extent of repairs required and rate local authority improve those roads in a league table.
Matthew Reiss, a serving Highland councillor and Ian Gregory the co-founder of campaign group Caithness Roads Recovery want to see the results published, or they say they will go to the information commissioner.
Mr Gregory said: “I have two simple questions: when are you going to publish the report? And what position does Highland Council occupy?”
Highland Council has invested an extra £20m investment in the past two years on roads.
Mr Reiss, who represents Thurso and Northwest Caithness, said: “I have 10 or a dozen complaints a week about the roads, sometimes more.
“Only this morning someone in Thurso phoned me to say that a person had tripped in a pothole and fractured an ankle.
“That is not only a cause for concern for that person, but a cost to the NHS and if they go on to sue, a cost to the council as well.
This is secrecy
“This report should have been reported in November or December as it was in the last two years.
“I think it is similar to the what is going on at at national level. This is secrecy. I am sure it is in the public interest to see what is going on with roads in the region.”
Mr Reiss said he was briefed on the numbers of complaints about the roads across the whole region. He said at present they stood at around 22,000 a year.
He continued: “The impact on officers of dealing with these complaints are likely to pay their toll.
“These problems with roads could all be sorted. Highland people are polite, but they are so exercised by the situation with roads, they are beginning to lose patience and are now angry.”
Caithness Roads Recovery has shared its concerns in a letter to First Minister Humza Yousaf, urging him to provide emergency funding for routes that include the North Coast 500.
In a statement, Highland Council said: “The results are currently being analysed and are not yet publicly available.
“A members briefing will be prepared as soon as the results are ready.
“Highland Road Network is considerably larger than other local authorities and more analysis is required.”
The annual report named Moray Council as the third best in Scotland.
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