End of the road for Castle Wynd taxi rank in Inverness
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AN Inverness taxi rank will definitely close next month to allow for the redevelopment of the wider Castle Wynd area.
Highland Council has confirmed the rank in Castle Wynd will still close on Monday, January 6, despite an official complaint from the Inverness Taxi Alliance.
Members had urged for the work to be put on hold while their complaint over the removal of the rank was investigated by the Scottish Ombudsman.
However, city of Inverness area manager David Haas stated in an email: “It is considered that there are no grounds for delaying the closure of the taxi rank at Castle Wynd, set to be implemented from and including Monday, January 6, 2020.”
Alliance chairman Andrew MacDonald has claimed the only alternative that had so far been offered was “inadequate”.
In his response, he added: “The failure of the council to come up with a satisfactory replacement for this operation will create, without doubt, at best, major congestion and difficulty on the existing ranks in Academy Street and potentially put the safety of the public at risk.”
Members of the city of Inverness area committee previously agreed to the removal of the taxi rank arrangements at the Wynd and a full-time replacement will be maintained on the south side of Bridge Street.
Details of the redevelopment scheme have been announced and contractors, Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd, have been appointed to carry out the £373,515 project.
It is hoped that pedestrians will benefit from an increase in walkways and upgrade of the steps to Inverness Castle and the footsteps leading to the River Ness behind upper Bridge Street will also be improved following completion of the 16-week project.
A Highland Council spokesman said the January 6 start date had been selected to allow for adequate notice to be given to the public and for the rank to be used throughout the festive period.
He added: “The works will include road and footway reconstruction using granite setts and kerbs, and Caithness flagstones. New granite steps will be installed on the Castle approach and steps, along with new pedestrian handrails.”
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