BUSINESS INSIGHT: Opinions on what could happen to the Brae in Nairn have been 'very varied'

The first stage of the consultation on what could lie ahead for the future of the Brae draws to a close at the end of this month.

Handling the consultation is my company Connected Transport Planning (CTP), providing specialist transport planning advice.

We are essentially looking to explore how active travel can be incorporated into the lower section of the High Street and looking at options to improve the space and reduce the severance impact of the A96 between the harbour and High Street.

• £40,000 feasibility study to look at pedestrianising Brae area in Nairn

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So far, we have welcomed around 70 members of the public to a consultation event where opinions on what should/could happen to the Brae were very varied. Our team has also met with young people at Rosebank Primary School and Nairn Academy and also representatives from Nairn Access Panel, Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise and Connecting Carers.

Our aim is to meet as many people and groups as possible and gauge their thoughts and there’s still time for the public to get involved via the Virtual Room.

CTP has been appointed by Nairn Connects BID to deliver this stage of the project. This new look at the Brae, follows a number of public consultations which were held by the Highland Council in 2019.

As a result of these consultations, the Highland Council published the Nairn Active Travel Masterplan in 2021 which set out 16 interventions to support the movement of people by walking and cycling. The Brae was identified as an area which needed more investigation and indeed Nairn BID had been contacted by the majority of the businesses on the Brae in support of the traffic problems being tackled in some way – pulling all of these things together, Nairn BID sought and won national funding to support a refreshed review of the opportunities.

So here we are. What’s next? Stage two of the consultation will start in January with more public consultation to follow, so we will be sure to keep in touch.

Mark Rinkus is a director of Connected Transport Planning.

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