Drop-in event for proposed city centre cycle routes to be held at Eastgate Shopping Centre inn Inverness
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Feedback will be sought on proposals for a new city centre cycle route this week.
Highland Council will hold a drop-in event at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness on Friday, from 8.30am-4pm to gather people's thoughts on the scheme.
The new routes take in Eastgate underpass and Falcon Square.
Design funding for city centre improvements for walking, wheeling and cycling has been secured through Places for Everyone. The proposed redesign of nearby Academy Street aims to make it a more attractive and healthier place for people walking and wheeling. For cycling, two potential alternative routes have been identified. The first route would utilise the Eastgate Underpass to connect to the existing cycle route in the High Street before ultimately connecting to Bridge Street. The second route would access Falcon Square and Inglis Street.
In both scenarios, the plan would be to reconfigure Bridge Street to accommodate a cycle connection by reducing the width of the carriageway. Both High Street and Bridge Street would require some physical changes to separate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists.
As part of the consultation process, businesses in the High Street and Bridge Street, as well as members of the public, are invited to the drop-in event taking place on the ground floor near the Falcon Square entrance, opposite TUI. Information boards will be on display and council representatives will be on hand to answer questions and gather feedback.
Councillor Ian Brown, the council's leader of Inverness and Area, said: “Further to previous in-person and online events to gauge feedback on Academy Street proposals, this event will focus on an alternative cycle route, and I would encourage businesses on the High Street and Bridge Street in particular to get involved and share their thoughts.
“We have the opportunity to greatly improve Academy Street and city centre infrastructure for those walking, wheeling and cycling, but we need input from those who use the space. This event will be key for gathering feedback.”
Emily Gait, grant manager for Places for Everyone at Sustrans which is a charity aiming to make it easier for people to walk and cycle, said: “This event, in combination with other recent events, presents key opportunities to hear first-hand from communities and businesses about how walking, wheeling and cycling in Inverness city centre can be made more accessible.”
All views will be collated and reviewed and will inform the ultimate design of Academy Street and the alternative cycle route.
Feedback can also be submitted online at https://academystreetproposals.commonplace.is/
