Date: 09/08/2012

Rail and council leaders have been short-listed for a prestigious UK award for their innovative joint response to last winter^s landslip at
Stromeferry.

ScotRail, Network Rail and Highland Council are in the running for the Outstanding Team Effort title at the Community Rail Awards. The short-listing comes after rocks and debris fell on to the A890 Stromeferry bypass during severe weather on 22 December 2011, forcing the closure of the key Highland road and leaving motorists facing a 140-mile detour.

To help Plockton High School pupils from Applecross, Kishorn and Lochcarron attend classes, ScotRail provided an additional morning train and free travel for the students. By March, a unique temporary road surface had been built over 150 metres of train track. Made out of rubber matting, it created a diversionary road for vehicles under 7.5 tonnes when the line was not being used by ScotRail^s trains.

Traffic along the route was controlled by Network Rail and Highland Council staff on site. Winners of the eighth annual Community Rail Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Swindon on 28 September 2012.

Related news items

Tags: x Rockfall x landslide x Dingwall and Skye Railway x Stromeferry