The junction at the western entrance to the village has had a filter lane removed as part of work to create a new cycleway around the village. Transport Scotland, which is responsible for the work, has been criticised by the community council for the way it has handled the situation. Chairman Mel MacAskill says Transport Scotland should have had more consultation with the local community and questioned the cost of the works, which he claimed totalled £700,000.

He told The Oban Times: 'We feel we have been totally ignored during this process. At a time when we are all hearing about cut-backs, where are they getting the money to pay for this?' According to Mr MacAskill, Bob Mitchell from Transport Scotland attended just one community council meeting and told members: 'You have a Rolls-Royce junction - you only need a mini.' Mr MacAskill's comments followed earlier criticisms from Highland Council leader Dr Michael Foxley. In a letter to Transport Scotland he said: 'The work has made a safe junction onto an unsafe one by removing the filter lane.'

Chief executive David Middelton replied: 'By adopting current standards in an area where the previous standards allowed much higher than appropriate speeds for most manoeuvres, it is anticipated that the overall safety will be enhanced.' A Transport Scotland spokesperson told The Oban Times: ' The new cycleway at Ballachulish village is being introduced to link the existing cycle route a North Ballachulish roundabout to B863 at Glencoe village. At the same time, in the interests of best value for the public purse, we are amending the junctions at both Ballachulish and Glencoe villages to bring them into line with modern standards.' The community council had lodged a complaint with the Scottish government against the work and is a waiting a reply.
Article taken from 'The Oban Times' 13th May.