Wednesday 3rd November 2021 will go down in Kerrera history as the day that our two separate communities were finally connected by a much needed and long desired link road. This critical part of island infrastructure has been something that the community has required for over half a century- and something that has always seemed like it might never happen. The big machinery and equipment arrived on the island on the 3rd August and in a few short months, Alistair McCrae and his team from Barrachander Quarry (Taynuilt) had completed the forestry grade track from the ferry in the centre of the island, up to Ardentrive Farm in the north. While it took only three months to dig and build the road- this project has taken years of hard work and perseverance behind the scenes of the Isle of Kerrera Development Trust. 

Project Manager, islander Martin Shields was delighted to see Stage One complete:

"I don’t know how many meetings myself and my fellow board members have attended over the years but it’s a lot! Add to that the decades of other boards doing the same and it’s easy to see why many doubted a positive outcome. In spite of this, I’ve always felt that we needed to keep believing, to keep getting people round the table because sooner or later, it will land on the desk of someone able to unlock the funding to make it happen.

The formation of the Scottish Government’s Islands Team in 2019 and subsequent engagement with the IKDT was the key moment in progressing the project and from that moment, things moved pretty quickly and soon we had A&B Council committing funds as well."

 

A momentous occasion- the community walk together on the new road, Sunday 7th November 2021