Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme is not located within any Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) as designated by Highland Council, and no air quality monitoring stations are located within 10km of the works (Air Quality Scotland).

No facilities which record air pollutant releases are listed on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) within 10km of the scheme (Scotland’s Environment).

Baseline air quality for this scheme is primarily influenced by traffic along the A87 carriageway. Secondary releases are likely delivered by marine traffic and urban activity within the wider area.

Cultural heritage

According to Pastmap, the A87 Skye bridge is a feature of cultural heritage recorded on the Historic Environment Record (HER). The bridge is not a Scheduled Monument/Listed Building and does not have a protected status.

There are three Listed Buildings within 300m of the scheme. The nearest of these is the Category B listed ‘Kyleakin Lighthouse’ (LB6994) which is located on the island of Eilean Bán, comprising a lighthouse and two adjoining former keepers’ cottages. These are located approximately 30m west of the northern aspect of the bridge, and over 50m from the nearest Pier. The remaining Listed Building is the category B listed ‘Kyle House’ (LB13995) which is located approximately 100m southeast of the bridge on the Isle of Skye. There are also several features as listed on the HER and the National Record of the Historic Environment (NHRE) databases located within 300m of the bridge.

There are no World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Garden and Designed Landscapes, Conservation Areas or Inventory Battlefields identified within 300m of the scheme.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme does not fall within a National Park (NP), National Scenic Area (NSA), or any other area designated for its landscape character or quality (SiteLink).

The Skye Bridge spans the Kyle Akin/Loch Alsh coastal waterbody, and connects the island of Eilean Bán with the Isle of Skye. Coastal habitat surrounds the bridge. The villages of Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh are located south and northeast of the bridge respectively.

Skye Bridge itself is not assigned a The Landscape Character Type (LCT), however the closest village to the scheme extents, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Mainland Skye are ‘ Farmed and Settled Lowlands – Skye and Lochalsh (LCT No. 357).

Land use surrounding the scheme extents is a mixture of recreation area on the Eilean island, managed woodlands, urban areas, opencast site, rough grazing and plantations (HLA Map).

The A87 Trunk Road connects Invergarry, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye (Portree and Uig). It commences at the A87 / A82 junction at Invergarry leading generally north-westwards for a distance of 160 kilometres to the pier at Uig on the Isle of Skye. The A87 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The A87 Skye Bridge spans the Kyle Akin, which connects the Inner Sound northwest of the bridge with Loch Alsh to the east. This water body forms part of several designated sites, including Inner Hebrides and the Minches Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Loch Carron Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (NC MPA), and Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh Reefs SAC and Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh NC MPA (SiteLink).

A Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been undertaken as part of the 10-year Marine Licence, which includes these proposed bentonite works. Refer to further details below in the relevant ‘Assessment and Mitigation’ section.

There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), National Nature Reserves, or Local Nature Reserves (LNR) within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Numerous bird species are recorded on NBN within 2km over a ten-year period. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (WCA), all wild birds and their active nests are protected, with certain species receiving additional protections.

The NBN atlas has record of rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), an invasive non-native plant species, within 2km of the scheme.

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) has record of rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) 190m south of the bridge.

The Skye Bridge and surrounding coastal environment provides suitable habitat for variety of aquatic and semiaquatic species.

Geology and soils

There are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRSs) or Geological SSSIs located within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Bedrock geology at the scheme extent is described as Applecross Formation – Sandstone, which is sedimentary bedrock. No superficial deposits are recorded within the scheme extents, however nearby superficial deposits comprise ‘Marine Beach Deposits’ (gravel, sand and silt) (British Geological Society).

No soils are recorded at the bridge piers, however, the local soil type is recorded as peaty gleyed podzols in the surrounding areas (Scotland’s Soils).

Material assets and waste

The proposed works on A87 Skye Bridge are required to improve access to the bentonite at the structure, with later works to rectify bentonite and associated water levels. The following materials will be used to complete the works:

  • Phase 1 – Stainless steel components
  • Phase 2 - Bentonite

Waste materials will be in the form of removed steel components (Phase 1), and water (Phase 2).

Noise and vibration

The works do not fall within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (Road Maps) (TNAP).

Noise modelled data from Environmental Noise Directive (END) Round 4 Noise Mapping Indicates 24 hour annual average noise level for during the day, evening and night (LDEN) as between 35 and 55dB on the A87 at the scheme location (SpationalData.gov).

Baseline noise levels at the scheme extents are likely to be primarily influenced by traffic along the A87 and local road network. Secondary influences are likely provided by urban activity and water traffic movements within the wider area.

In 2024, the average daily traffic (ADT) flow recorded at a count point in Kyle of Lochalsh (approximately 1km east of the scheme; Site: JTC00147), accounted for 5,218 vehicles, of which 16.7% were heavy goods vehicles (Traffic Scotland).

Population and human health

There are approximately ten residential/commercial receptors within 300m of the scheme. The nearest residential property, Kyle House, is located approximately 100m east of the southern aspect of Skye bridge.

There are no National Cycle Network (NCN) routes, walking routes listed on WalkHighlands, or core paths (SE Map) within the scheme extent. There are concrete footpaths which run adjacent to the road on either side of the bridge, connecting Kyle of Lochalsh to Isle of Skye, which are regularly used by pedestrians. The nearest bus stop is located approximately 160m south of the bridge in Kyleakin, however there are none within the scheme extent.

Bentonite replacement works will be carried out from beneath the structure, remote from any live carriageway. Therefore, no traffic management is anticipated.

Due to operation via boats/barges below the structure, no impacts to local population or human health are predicted. As such, this section is not considered further within this RoD. Relevant impact from Noise/Vibration on human health will be captured in the appropriate section below.

Road drainage and the water environment

The A87 290 Skye bridge spans the Inner Sound (ID: 200491) and Loch Alsh (ID: 200352) within the scheme extent. Both are coastal waterbodies which have been classified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD). The Inner Sound was classified in 2024 as having an overall classification of ‘High’ whilst Loch Alsh was given an overall classification of ‘Good’ (Water Classification Hub)..

The bridge is underpinned by the Skye South groundwater body (ID: 150675), both of which were classified by SEPA in 2023 as having ‘Good’ overall condition (Water Classification Hub).

As the A87 Skye Bridge spans an area seaward of Mean High Water Spring (MHWS) level, works on the bridge are subject to authorisation by the Marine Directorate. In 2025, BEAR Scotland was issued a 10-year Marine Licence (MS-00011011) to permit a range of maintenance works on the A87 Skye Bridge, including these bentonite works. This licence remains valid until 9th April 2035. Further details are provided in the relevant ‘Assessment and Mitigation’ section below.

Climate

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (‘The Act’), and its subsequent amendment under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, sets the framework for the Scottish Government to address climate change. The Act has an ambitious target to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with any residual emissions balanced by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is five years earlier than the rest of the UK due to the greater potential for carbon sequestration in Scotland.

The Act was amended to replace interim targets with carbon budgets. Carbon budgets are legally binding caps on greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland over five-year periods. In line with the Act, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published advice on the level of Scotland’s four carbon budgets, covering the period 2026 to 2045, recommending what the Scottish Government sets its carbon budgets at for annual average levels of emissions. These recommendations are based on an ambitious but credible route to Net Zero for Scotland by 2045.

Emissions reductions from surface transport are the largest contribution to meeting the first two carbon budgets. The pathway for surface transport emission reduction is primarily driven by the uptake of electric vehicles, in addition to measures to enable a shift from car use to public transport and active travel, which all play a role in reducing emissions from fossil fuel cars. Ensuring efficiency of existing transport infrastructure and improving/providing new active travel facilities is therefore important to support these carbon reduction budgets.

Transport is the largest contributor to harmful climate emissions in Scotland. In response to the climate emergency, Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 75% by 2030 and to the above noted legally binding target of net-zero by 2045. Transport Scotland is committed to reducing carbon across Scotland’s transport network and this commitment is being enacted through the Mission Zero for Transport (Mission Zero for transport | Transport Scotland).

Policies and plans

This Record of Determination has been undertaken in accordance with all relevant regulations, guidance, policies and plans, notably including the Environment and Sustainability Discipline of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)) and Transport Scotland's Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance (Guidance - Environmental Impact Assessments for road projects (transport.gov.scot)).