25/01/2026
Caithness Road conditions - That's the T piece just up the hill from us......a total nightmare to drive on!!!
And today we have some interesting statistics for you, which have been reported locally and nationally over the past couple of days. And here they are: - For financial year 2025/26 only 14 (Fourteen) of the 643 road maintenance jobs listed as needed in Caithness have so far been completed. We are advised that a "further 37 have been given completion dates for spring 2026".
So at present 2.18% of the listed works have been completed, with less than 3 months to go. If the additional 37 jobs were actually done then that would mean that 7.93% would have been seen to. To my mind that means there is a very major problem. 643 minus 51 = 592. If 51 jobs were to be completed each subsequent year, then 592 divided by 51 = 11.60 years to complete the current list alone. Not counting the probable thousands of new repairs arising over that time..........................
In the words of a Caithness person the other day - "I just travelled Thurso to Keiss via Castletown, the road is absolutely shocking. It is literally falling apart" and "Came back from Keiss via Groats, yet another shocking experience. The potholes were absolutely horrendous, the road from Castletown headed to Dunnet and beyond is falling apart, I couldn’t believe how bad it was. Driving in Caithness is now basically pothole dodging, it’s simply a matter of time before there is a serious accident". And that is the truth of it right across the county. No matter how many soundbites and "reassuring" messages are given out, things are dire and are getting worse.
This cannot continue. Iain.
