Escape Lodge statement on traffic movement.

Escape Lodge has carried out several traffic surveys of the Dundonnell-Badrallach single-track public road.  Many surveys have been purposely carried out at busy holiday periods or in one case where an open day was advertised for a croft at Badrallach (where the survey was carried out at the junction with the main road to include all vehicles no matter how short their journey).  

The number of cars using the road rarely varies from an average of 2 cars per hour with the minimum often being 0 per hour and maximum at busy periods of 6 cars per hour.

N.B All predictions assume a maximum 100% occupancy of the accommodation.
The development is in phases, starting with the eco-lodge and moving gradually over several years to create the thatched houses which have a total capacity for 40 people.

Lodge Traffic - assumptions and predictions
Providing for 20 guests and three resident staff, cars are predicted (i.e. required parking spaces) to total 12 cars per day but, due to some holiday activities carried out on site, not all cars will leave each day.  No catering is provided so deliveries will be occasional and avoided where possible by duplicating collection of goods with normal staff journeys.

Assume a maximum of 10 cars will arrive and depart each day as a result of the lodge.  There is no fixed breakfast period and departures are likely to be staggered between 8 - 11pm.  Arrival times in the evening will be similarly spread between 5 and 8pm.  Therefore these 10 cars are spread across three hour periods.

Existing traffic per hour: Minimum 0, maximum 6, averaging 2 cars/hour.
If the lodge adds 3 cars/hour we predict the road usage from 8am -11am and 5pm - 8pm may rise to a minimum of 3 and a likely maximum of 10 cars per hour, possibly averaging around 7.5 cars per hour including all local traffic.  We believe this quantity is not unreasonable for a single track public road will not cause nuisance to roadside properties or other users.  TEC Services (Roads Department) indicated at both early and later stages of consultation that they are not concerned about this.

The remaining daytime and evening hours we estimate the lodge may add 2 cars per hour.

Township Traffic - assumptions and predictions
The township will be built over a number of years and when it is full to capacity an estimated 18 additional cars will travel to and from the site.  However the township is not typical holiday accommodation and the people who will be attracted, and the activities available, should ensure that as many as 50% of occupants will not use their cars every day.  Their road use is also likely to be spread more evenly across the day and evening.  Estimating 50% - 12 additional cars arriving and departing (multiplied by 2 - 24) from 8am - 9pm adds 1 car per hour to the road.

It is also expected that a proportion of guests may arrive by bicycle or be transported by staff which are already included in calculations.