Dear Editor

Further to the hastily arranged meeting on Tuesday 26th March regarding the proposed ‘one-way’ system for Tarbert, I wish to make a few points eminently clear so that the large number of people present, by choice or invitation, are under no false illusions as to why they were there.

It was totally misleading of the main spokesmen to give the impression initially, “that we are here to consider 2 options”. We were not; the Harris public had previously decided on a clockwise movement and what it entailed – full stop.

Some 10 days prior to this I was advised by a concerned young lady that, because of Police objections(?) the system as originally proposed and approved in public had been drastically altered to direct all disembarking ferry traffic in an anti-clockwise direction – up Pier Road (with all its problems) and through Tarbert Main Street.

To me this seemed ludicrous, beyond belief for innumerable reasons – danger to human life, including health hazards from slow moving traffic spewing fumes, inadequate pavements, eventual road subsidence, retaining wall damage and damage to property foundations, sewers, water-pipes etc.

On March 25th I decided to seek confirmation of the proposed alteration which had apparently been introduced in January without Public Consultation. There was no reaction from our Community Council who apparently decided not to inform a Public that 2 years ago had approved a plan for all ferry traffic, embarking or disembarking, to use the low road, built almost 20 years ago for that purpose – all other village traffic to move in a clockwise direction.

Having got confirmation at 4pm on Monday I immediately faxed letters to our Councillors in Stornoway to indicate my personal vigorous opposition and that of several other local contacts, to this totally impractical proposal “devoid of engineering expertise or awareness of how Tarbert operates” and advised them that “this would be obstructed and opposed at every turn”.

I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the immediate response from both Councillors on Tuesday morning. Apparently a meeting was hastily arranged in the Council Offices, Stornoway, and it was agreed to convene a Public Meeting that evening in Tarbert.

The truth of the matter and the reason for the haste – this was due to be rail-roaded through the Council Transportation Committee on Wednesday 27th, approving an anti-clockwise system with its inherent dangers, a fait accompli.

Councillor Macdonald stated emphatically that he had not received any objections to the revised plans despite having expressed his concerns to our Community Council and asking them to hold a Public Meeting.
The residents of Tarbert were being denied the information and were not aware of this dramatic change – not even the many people in business or who otherwise take an active part in Community affairs.

I have to thank the young lady who tipped the writer off on this matter, otherwise we would have been press-ganged into a social and economic disaster! I also would like to thank Councillors Morag and Donald for reacting to this matter in an expeditious and positive manner. Thanks are also due to Harris Development Ltd for similarly responding when advised – not even this illustrious body was privy to the impending chaos.

As you are now aware the meeting of the Transportation Committee on the morning of Wednesday 27th approved the recommendations from our meeting of the previous evening.

If the members of the North Harris Community Council purport to act on our behalf they must be accountable to the electorate by advising their Agenda and reporting on their deliberations. Failing that you never know which crazy lane you may be going down next! A situation such as this must never be allowed to happen again.

We made it by a whisker!
Tha iad a’ gabhail comhairle mu dheireadh.

Leis na beannachdan.

John Murdo Morrison,
Tigh-a-Chreagain, Tarbert

Comments
In retrospect there are a number of mitigating circumstances.

The time given between the Councillors and Community Council being told of the impending change in January, and the meeting of Transportation on the issue to be discussed was too short.

The Community Council did express their concerns to myself and Councillor Macdonald and to Council engineers. Councillor Macdonald asked the Community Council to hold a Public Meeting in order to get the mandate he needed to suspend Standing Orders and reverse the decision of the Transportation Committee taken in January.

In retrospect, again, and hindsight is a wonderful thing, the Councillors should have arranged their own Public Meeting instead of waiting for the Community Council to do so.

However, all’s well that ends well.

Cllr Morag Munro, Harris West Ward.