ROAD campaigners are calling for the Forestry Commission to fund a free ferry to run while a main Highland road is closed.

Residents fear they will have to pay £25 in ferry and fuel costs and drive more than 50 extra miles just to get to work or go shopping because of the road closure next month.

The A82 will shut to the south of Fort William between the town and the Corran Ferry for 56 hours from 10pm on Friday, December 9, to 6am on Monday, December 12. This is to allow the Forestry Commission to remove a potentially unstable 250 tonne rock from woodland on the hillside above the road, in preparation for harvesting the timber.

It will mean the main southerly entrance road into Fort William, the second-largest town in the Highlands, will be closed to drivers from Onich, Ballachulish, Glencoe and Kinlochleven during the weekend closure.

It would also be the normal route for visitors, climbers and skiers if the snow has arrived at Aonach Mor by then.

The quickest alternative route will be via the Corran Ferry and around Loch Eil on the single track A861.

A return journey of some 70 miles and a total return time of approximately two hours will be necessary, compared to the usual round trip of 17 miles which takes around 30 minutes.

Highland Council is extending the hours of the Corran Ferry from 9pm to midnight on the Friday and Saturday, although the normal schedule will operate on the Sunday night.

The A82 Partnership, the umbrella organisation campaigning for the upgrade of the Glasgow to Inverness (via Fort William) road, says the only other alternative route is via Crianlarich and Pitlochry arriving in Fort William from the north, a return journey of 340 miles and a return time of nine hours.

Stewart Maclean, spokesman for the group, said that did not represent a realistic alternative so people would have to travel by the Corran Ferry.

He said: “The additional cost for people going to Fort William that weekend, using the ferry alternative, will be around £25, made up of £13.40 in fares and an estimated £12 in petrol. As things stand we are being told that the ferry fares will be as normal. It is understandable that Highland Council, which is not involved in the road closure, is not prepared to pay for a concession on fares.

“But we believe that Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), which requires the road closure, should meet the cost of ferry fares or at very least support a lower fare during the period of the closure.”

He said this position was supported by Fort William Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses who have staff required to travel on the road to work during the period of the closure.

Another who agrees is Dr Michael Foxley, leader of Highland Council, who lives by the A861.

“There is a strong case to waive the ferry fares. Obviously the work has to be done, but the road should be reopened as soon as possible if it is clear before the Monday morning,” he said.

“It is bad enough that local people are going to have to make this huge detour without them having to pay a return ferry fare. Unfortunately Highland Council is not in a position to provide a free ferry and pay for the extra crews that will be required for the extended hours. I am afraid it is down to FCS, perhaps along with Transport Scotland.”

An FCS spokesman said: “It’s very unlikely that we would be able to finance the Corran Ferry over the closure weekend.

“We understand some journeys are unavoidable but we had hoped that by giving people plenty of advance warning, plans could be re-rescheduled and inconvenience kept to a minimum.”