Berriedale Road Works Starts On Monday

[Caledonia]

"Berriedale Road Works Starts On Monday
Just to remind you all that work starts on the Berriedale on Monday and could mean delays of up to 15 minutes with traffic lights and possible delays caused by larger vehicles going through the works. Complete road closure will take place on several nights from 10.00pm until 6.00am on 12, 13, 19 26 May and 2, 9 and 16 June. Depending on progress this may be cut to less nights of closure. If you are likely to be travelling late at night or early in the morning note these dates. There are no easy ways round Berriedale - a detour may take you another two or three hours."

From the front page of the site.

Driving the road regularly from Thurso side, I could remind everyone that going down the Strath adds only a half hour or so.

You can even cut accross the beautiful Glen Loth road, and cut a few miles off there again.

Just added for info and to balance the Wickcentricity!

[AR]

Whats Wickcentricty?

[KitKat]

Well lets just hope and pray some poor local lassie doesn't go into early labour on any of those dates.........

[Mr P Cannop]

thanks for the warnings

[daviddd]

Well lets just hope and pray some poor local lassie doesn't go into early labour on any of those dates.........That's a good point - a Wick mother-to-be travelling to Inverness via Strath Halladale (and Loth??!! :eek: ) will have at least an extra hour, and a lot of bumps and bends, on the way to the Raigmore. Maybe the yellow Budgie will be on call for Wick airport? One wonders if the NHS authorities are even aware of this anomaly!! :confused :(

[gblair]

Let's not be stupid here, I feel that people are causing undue anxiety for mothers to be. Has anyone actually spoken to the contractors conducting the roadworks to see if the few closures (only 4 planned periods overnight) will actually stop an ambulance with blue lights flashing.

My wife, who is 24 weeks pregnant, is more concerned that she has not yet been told officially what will happen if she goes into premature labour. It was our understanding from the press releases that each mother to be would be informed what was going on and if the maternity unit was likely to be open again for their due date.

Sorry to digress from the original notification of road closeure but there seem too many people who are more than happy to jump to conclusions!

[JAWS]

Why all the panic?

There's no need to worry about Berridale all you have to do is bury your head in the sand and it all goes away.

Does anybody know a cure for sand up the nose? :evil [para]

[Mr P Cannop]

Let's not be stupid here, I feel that people are causing undue anxiety for mothers to be. Has anyone actually spoken to the contractors conducting the roadworks to see if the few closures (only 4 planned periods overnight) will actually stop an ambulance with blue lights flashing.

My wife, who is 24 weeks pregnant, is more concerned that she has not yet been told officially what will happen if she goes into premature labour. It was our understanding from the press releases that each mother to be would be informed what was going on and if the maternity unit was likely to be open again for their due date.

Sorry to digress from the original notification of road closeure but there seem too many people who are more than happy to jump to conclusions!


if that the case why not fly from wick airport ??

[Naefearjustbeer]

Well lets just hope and pray some poor local lassie doesn't go into early labour on any of those dates.........That's a good point - a Wick mother-to-be travelling to Inverness via Strath Halladale (and Loth??!! :eek: ) will have at least an extra hour, and a lot of bumps and bends, on the way to the Raigmore. Maybe the yellow Budgie will be on call for Wick airport? One wonders if the NHS authorities are even aware of this anomaly!! :confused :(

The Yellow Budgie as you call it cannot take women in labour. I have had a flight in the so called budgie and you are shoved up a tube near the birds bottom with only your upper body accesible to the crew of the copter. I think to fly a pregnant in labour woman they would either need a plane or a big copter from RAF Lossiemouth.

[Mr P Cannop]

maybe not a good idea then ??

[A_Usher]

The closures are interesting. We have patients slightly beyond and in Berriedale and no one has informed us of what we do if a patients calls through the night requiring attention, and no one seems to know when you enquire.

I guess we just put the green light on and cross our fingers. I am constantly appalled by the lack of planning or rather the lack of information provided to us at Dunbeath Surgery. We have had the maternity issue, to which no one has still informed us as of what is done regarding gynaecology or other matters, and now we have a road closure possibly prohibiting us access to our patients.

I find it a little disappointing, and concerning, what happens if one of our patients needs seen in the early mornings, will someone open the road up, will anybody be there? Its very difficult to get a helicopter to land there, so what happens there? Why is no one explaining the contingency plans?

Andrew Usher
Practice Manager
Dunbeath Surgery

[sarah]

I wrote to Bear as I live immediately south of the closures (and work in Thurso) so I'm concerned about what will undoubtedly be major disruption.

They wrote me that a 'safe route for emergency vehicles will be left' on the nights of the closures.

They haven't yet answered my question about not being able to get to my house if I don't make their 10pm curfew - do I get to walk through the road works, or do I get to drive via Melvich which I reckon would make it a 90 minute or 75 mile journey (as opposed to 40 min/35 miles) from Thurso. Never mind the disruption virtually outside my door, or the night crew at it hammer and tongs on the Wednesday nights just beyond my window.

Evidently they are going to consult with local residents before actually blocking their road ends..... how decent. I may be jumping to conclusions but it's clear they're not exactly proactive about minimising disruption and indeed why would we expect them to be? (don't get me started on Edward Mackay and 10mph across the cassiemire behind turbine components)

So I'm still at it with Bear. Trying not to be alarmist but it really is alarming. I have a couple of contact names if anyone else wants to rant a little.....

[grmacken]

it would have to be the RAF as the "Yellow Budgie " is not insured to fly at night. The Strath road is definatly not good for a woman in labour, it is a very bouncy twisty road. I am afraid to say there will be a few babys born in the ambulances in the next few weeks. :roll:

[grmacken]

TBH you would think the NHS would relocate some staff to wick untill the roadworks are finished.

Only two roads our of caithness,with the A9 out of use at nights and the single track A897 which leads back to the A9 and is dangerous for people who dont know the road and may be in a rush, lets hope there isnt any accidents.

[lynne duncan]

nhs won't relocate the staff as this will make them short in inverness Ah! shame

[badger]

My daughter-in-law is 35 weeks and has just been given all the info by her midwife. It appears many of our concerns have been addressed, e.g. ambulances will be allowed through the roadworks, it's just that NHS Highland don't seem to feel the need to tell us and I have emailed Richard Carey today (having been in touch with him previously on the maternity issues) to suggest that all their plans be publicised as soon as possible to allay at least some of our fears. Quite why it hasn't occurred to them that all the rumours and speculation are causing massive stress to expectant mothers and their families I have no idea but I suppose we shouldn't be surprised.