A major review of traffic chaos on the A96 Inverness-Aberdeen road through Nairn is on the cards amid anger at worsening gridlock.
The intervention of a Scottish Government minister has raised hopes in some quarters that a solution can be found through the creation of a taskforce of community leaders.
Others, however, including Nairn Provost Laurie Fraser, are not optimistic.
The town, which is bisected by a single lane stretch of the Inverness-Aberdeen route, has suffered horrendous delays, especially over the summer.
Problems were exacerbated by months of essential work to replace ageing gas pipes and by extra traffic drawn to major events over the peak tourist season.
The addition of several sets of traffic lights in recent years, taking the tally to eight within the town’s 2.5miles of A96, is frequently cited as a cause of the problem.
Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing, the energy minister, has been bombarded with complaints about the delays and has taken it up with transport officials.
“I have been pursuing the problems posed by the lights and associated issues including the disruption caused by recent gas works,” he said. “Some believe there are too many lights; others that the existing lights are not at the right junctions.”
Mr Ewing held talks with Transport Scotland official Roy Brannen, who promised a review of the problems taking local opinion on board.
The agency will establish a local focus group involving the community, local councillors, council officials and others to consider options for fresh traffic-signal modelling.
A spokeswoman for the agency added: “The group will allow everyone an input as we want to make sure the needs of all road users, including vulnerable groups, are considered.”
Local provost Laurie Fraser said: “We’re all fed up with it and I see no long term improvement until a bypass goes in.”
Nairn Suburban Community Council chairman Dick Youngson said: “The lights aren’t coordinated. We’ve worked with Transport Scotland and Bear, but they’re reluctant to shut any of them down.”