A MAJOR cable electricity upgrade in the Highlands has been postponed after locals rebelled over traffic diversions it was set to cause.
The electricity upgrade could have seen drivers facing an 80-mile road diversion and disruptions for months over the winter period.
Residents launched a petition against the closure, which covers part of the North Coast 500, and the works have now been postponed until January 2026 at the earliest.
Managed by SSEN Transmission, the plans will bring a renewable energy cable from the Western Isles ashore at Dundonnell.
They say it will have a heavily detrimental impact on local services.
"This is already a fragile community and isolated and this will make it more so," one local told the BBC.
Part of the work will involve closing the A832 for 14 hours every day between 7am and 9pm in two blocks from October 27 to mid-December and then again from January to March 2026.
Niall Macleod, project director for SSEN Transmission, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback to date, which we are actively considering.
“From the outset we have been mindful of the impact on local road users and have rerouted the cable from the road wherever possible, reducing the length of road that would be affected by 50km.
“There are some areas where it is technically difficult to achieve this, particularly along the impacted section of the A832 where terrain, topography and space constraints are challenging.
“Nonetheless we are actively seeking solutions in recognition of the level of disruption that people will experience, working with our contractors to review any potential changes that could minimise day-to-day impacts while allowing us to complete this work safely.”
