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.
Steve Montgomery, ScotRail’s managing director, said: “It was pleasing to be able to come to the rescue, thanks to us quickly transferring resources from elsewhere to provide an additional train service.
“We’re delighted that the solution benefitted the community and meant Plockton High School pupils were able to continue their studies.”
David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, said: "We appreciated the importance of re-establishing a road link for the local community and were pleased to be able to work with the council and ScotRail to provide such an innovative solution.
"This project was another positive example of how Network Rail and ScotRail's alliancing initiatives are allowing us to respond quickly and decisively to the needs of both rail users and wider communities."
Neil Gillies, Highland Council’s director of transport, environmental and community services, said: “The whole community is grateful to the rail industry for the way that it came together in such rapid response to the challenge posed by the rockfall.”
The bypass reopened on 23 April 2012, following major stabilisation work on the cliff next to the road.
Winners of the eighth annual Community Rail Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Swindon on 28 September 2012.
Media enquiries
John Yellowlees, ScotRail external relations manager, 0141 335 4787 / [email protected]
Danny Carden, ScotRail communications, 0141 335 5087 / [email protected]
Notes to editors
The Community Rail Awards are held by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) which is a federation of more than 60 community rail partnerships and rail promotion groups across the UK, working with decision makers to ensure that local rail’s important role is fully recognised.