DAVID STEWART: Pledges to Highlands should be written on stone and placed next to A9
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Can I add my congratulations to our new First Minister Humza Yousaf and wish him well with the daunting tasks ahead of him?
Although I do not agree with his politics, our parliament can be proud to have elected its first First Minister from an ethnic minority background.
He’ll have no shortage of people giving him advice, but I’ll add some for good measure.
When Ed Miliband was Labour leader, which seems ancient history now, he wrote out his party’s election pledges on a replica tablet of stone, which drew widespread mirth from the assembled media hacks. It did occur to me this week when watching Humza Yousaf’s narrow squeak of a victory over local MSP Kate Forbes that he should try the Miliband trick again.
For Highland residents, an 8ft Rosetta Stone placed very appropriately just off the A9 north of Inverness could be emblazoned with his pledges for the north:
- A9 dualling
- Fight poverty
- Nairn bypass
- More Scottish Government jobs
- Ditch Deposit Return Scheme
- Promotion for Caley Thistle
Maybe I’m getting carried away with that last one!
Time for a park and ride scheme
The debate around the possible pedestrianisation of Academy Street has caused a stooshie, not least among the hard-pressed businesses of the Old Town.
Are we not missing a trick here? We all know that pollution levels are high on Queensgate and Academy Street, but is it not time to create a park and ride facility at the Caledonian Stadium?
Those travelling from the north to Inverness for work or leisure could park at the stadium and meet a fleet of electric buses to head for all parts of the compass in the city, such as Raigmore Hospital, Farraline Park or Highland Council HQ.
This would reduce traffic travelling through Inverness, and cut deadly emissions. The park and ride facility would be similar to the one in North Queensferry, which is safe, well lit, and patrolled by security staff.
Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has campaigned for this facility and has written to the Highland Council. In their reply to Rhoda, the council agreed that park and ride facilities are most effective if located near to the source of congestion.
However, most of the funding comes from the Scottish Government, and the feasibility of the stadium as a site is linked to the A9/A82 flyover project – which is not yet legally committed. The path to success can be a rocky road.
Maybe a park and ride scheme at the Caledonian Stadium should be added to the new First Minister’s burgeoning in-tray?
Chopper mishap
Do you ever get an “it can only happen to me” moment?
I was in a meeting with ex-councillor Jimmy Gray last week in an office at the edge of the city. Suddenly we heard a very low-flying helicopter hovering just above our meeting place.
The vibrations from the aircraft dislodged a few roof tiles which fell on my car, denting the bonnet. I am not looking forward to speaking to my car insurance company. “Did you get the registration number of the helicopter, sir?”
