This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Bilingual road signs rolled out
20/01/2003
Thug Ministear na h-Iomairt, a' Chòmhdhail agus an
Fhoghlaim Bheatha, Lewis MacDhòmhnaill, an-diugh cead
airson leudachadh air soighnichean-rathaid Gàidhlig air
Taobh an Iar Gaidhealtachd na h-Alba.
Dh'ainmich am Ministear gun deigheadh soighnichean
dà-chànanach ùra an àite nan soighnichean rathaid a tha
an-dràsta air cuid de na prìomh-rathaidean a tha a' dol tro
choimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig agus gu puirt-aisig air a' chost
an iar.
Thàinig an co-dhùnadh an dèidh sgrùdadh ion-dhèantachd
air a bharrantachadh le Riaghaltas na h-Alba.
Thèid na soighnichean ùra an cur suas air na slighean a
leanas:
- A87 Drochaid an Eilean Sgitheanaich gu Ùige
- A87 Inbhir-gharadh gu Drochaid an Eilean
Sgitheanaich
- A887 Inbhir Moireasadan chun an A87
- A830 An Gearastan gu Mallaig
- A835 Ulapul gu Inbhir Pheotharan/An Todhar
- A828 Bail' a' Chaolais gu Drochaid Choingheil
- A85 Taigh an Droma chun an Òbain
- A83 An Tairbeart gu Ceann na Creige / Ceann Loch
Chille Chiarain
- A82 An Tairbeart gu Inbhir Nis
Thuirt Mgr MacDhòmhnaill:
"Tha mi toilichte an leudachadh seo air
soighnichean-rathaid Gàidhlig air Taobh an Iar na
Gaidhealtachd fhoillseachadh an dèidh còmhraidhean le
Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd agus Comhairle Earra-Ghaidheal
agus Bhòid. Bidh seo a bharrachd air na soighnichean
Gàidhlig a tha cheana air an A87 san Eilean Sgitheanach
agus an ceann siar rathad A830 gu Mallaig.
"Bidh an leudachadh air na soighnichean sin a'
coileanadh obair an Riaghaltais airson taic a thoirt do
luach sòisealta, cultarach agus foghlaim na Gàidhlig.
Thathar a' sùileachadh cuideachd gun dèan na soighnichean
ùra leasachadh air an t-suidheachadh do luchd-turais a'
tadhal air a' Ghaidhealtachd agus sna Eileanan Siar."
A' toirt beachd air an fhoillseachadh, thuirt Mike
Watson, Ministear na Turasachd, a' Chultair agus an
Spòrs:
Tha mi den bheachd gun dèan seo cuideachadh mòr do
Riaghaltas na h-Alba le neartachadh na Gàidhlig agus
leasachadh air oidhirpean nan ùghdarrasan ionadail. Nì
soighnichean Gàidhlig follaiseach gu bheil sluagh na h-Alba
a' toirt taic don Ghàidhlig agus tha sinn an dòchas gun
neartaich e misneachd fhileantach agus luchd-ionnsachaidh
ann an cleachdadh a' chànain.
Sa Mhàrt 2001, thug Sarah Boyack, Ministear na Còmhdhail
aig an àm, cead do Chomhairle na Gaidhealtachd airson
soighnichean-rathaid dà-chànanach air an A87 eadar Caol
Loch Aillse agus Ùige agus air an A830. Fhuair a'
Chomhairle cead cuideachd na soighnichean a chur air
rathaidean ionadail mar as roghnach leotha.
Thig na soighnichean a-steach thairis air prògram
còig-bliadhna le cosgaisean air am pàigheadh à buidseatan
stèidhichte nam prìomh-rathaidean.
Bidh na soighnichean co-chòrdail ri na soighnichean a
th' ann, le clò-sgrìobhadh coitcheann air a chleachdadh
airson gach cuid Gàidhlig agus Beurla. Air soighnichean
treòrachaidh uaine nam prìomh-rathaidean, thèid an
t-ainm-àite Gàidhlig ann an litrichean buidhe os cionn na
Beurla a bhios ann an sgrìobhadh geal.
Bha an sgrùdadh ion-dhèantachd a chaidh ron iomairt seo
air a ghabhail os làimh le Scott Wilson Consultants, An
Caisteal Nuadh.
English version
The green light to additional Gaelic road signs in the
West Highlands of Scotland was given today.
Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald announced that
existing road signs would be replaced with new bilingual
signs on a number of trunk roads that pass through
communities where Gaelic is spoken and which lead to west
coast ferry ports.
The decision follows a feasibility study commissioned by
the Executive.
The new signs will be erected on the following
routes:
- A87 Skye Bridge to Uig
- A87 Invergarry to Skye Bridge
- A887 Invermoriston to A87
- A830 Fort William to Mallaig
- A835 Ullapool to Dingwall/Tore
- A828 Ballachulish to Connel Bridge
- A85 Tyndrum to Oban
- A83 Tarbet to Kennacraig / Campbeltown
- A82 Tarbet to Inverness
Mr Macdonald said:
"I am pleased to be able to announce this extension of
Gaelic road signs in the West Highlands of Scotland
following discussion with Highland Council and Argyll and
Bute Council. This will be in addition to the existing
Gaelic signs on the A87 on Skye and the western section of
the A830 Mallaig road.
"The wider provision of these signs will complement the
work the Executive is doing to support the social, cultural
and educational value of the Gaelic language. It is also
expected that the new signs will have a positive impact on
improving the tourism experience people have when they
visit the Highlands and Western Isles."
Commenting on the announcement, Mike Watson, Minister
for Tourism, Culture and Sport said:
"I believe that this will make a positive contribution
to the Scottish Executive's strengthening of Gaelic
language and will supplement the efforts already being made
by local authorities. Gaelic signage will provide visible
evidence of public support for Gaelic in Scotland and we
hope it will strengthen the confidence of speakers and
learners in their use of the language."
In March 2001, the former Minister for Transport, Sarah
Boyack, gave Highland Council the go-ahead for bilingual
road signs on the A87 between Kyle of Lochalsh and Uig and
on the A830. The Council was also given authority to erect
the signs on local roads at their discretion.
The signs will be introduced over a five year programme
with costs met from existing trunk road budgets.
The format for the signs will be consistent with the
existing signs, where the same standard typeface is used
for both Gaelic and English. On the direction signs with
green backgrounds used for trunk roads, the Gaelic
nameplace will appear in yellow above the English nameplace
which will be in white.
The feasibility study that preceded this initiative was
undertaken b Scott Wilson Consultants, Newcastle Upon
Tyne.