Greens and the Inverness cycling mayor back Academy Street changes
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Highland Greens and the Inverness Cycling Mayor are encouraging councillors on the Inverness area committee to back plans to slash traffic by changing the layout of Academy Street.
On Monday members of the committee will be asked either to approve the progression of plans that will end the street’s role as a major city through route for motor traffic or scrap this plan and remove the bollards that have been in place on the street since lockdown.
City centre businesses have been largely united in condemning the plan, fearing it will hit the numbers of potential customers willing to spend time in the vicinity, but Emily Williams, the cycling mayor and boss of the popular Velocity Café in Inverness, hopes they are accepted.
She said: "My view is that the changes are really positive for active travel in the city, particularly for those walking and wheeling. The predicted reduction in traffic volume, along with changes to the junctions, will make Academy Street a much friendlier place to cycle.
"I would personally support the inclusion of segregated cycle lanes, which would require further reallocation of space away from cars, but I recognise that the proposed scheme is a reasonable and pragmatic compromise.
"I view the scheme as a really positive opportunity to make progress towards making the city centre a friendly place to walk, cycle and a place you would be drawn to spend time in.
"I feel that the voices of local residents, cyclists and those with protected characteristics have been silenced in the debate around the scheme. As the committee papers show a majority of responses to every consultation have supported the scheme, and it will make access to the city centre safer and more pleasant for those who don't have access to a vehicle - who tend to be those on the lowest incomes, teenagers, young people and the elderly.
"At Velocity we work with numerous people who want to learn to ride a bike, or to gain confidence cycling on the road. By far and away the biggest barrier cited by our participants is the volume and speed of traffic, and the lack of cycling infrastructure so I would support any scheme that makes progress in addressing that."
Greens councillor for Aird and Loch Ness, Chris Ballance, said: “Inverness is now a city, and we have the chance to create a modern city like York and Paris which have seen businesses flourish since they reduced cars and thereby encouraged vast numbers of shoppers on foot and by bike.
“A city is a place you drive to, then walk round. A town is somewhere you drive through. Often without stopping.
“Buses will also be able to get to their destination sooner and they drop people off right at the door of places like Marks and Spencer, so this will be an even more attractive option especially with many new electric buses.
“For many people a relaxed, efficient, low carbon way of reaching Academy Street is by train and there is more capacity on trains.
“This is not closing off Academy Street, it is opening up Academy Street to pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists. Pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists visit shops.”
He added: “We know that reducing traffic increases footfall and that you can move far more people efficiently by foot, bike and bus than you can in private cars, often single occupancy ones, you can fit a lot more bike parking in a space and buses do not take up road space to park, so if you want more people to visit the city centre and use the space efficiently you want to minimise car use and make the other options more attractive.
“The business case has already been made in the example of hundreds of cities across the world who have had the courage to stand up against congested streets dominated by cars and transform their cities.”
“As a former owner of a small shop I can understand the fear that comes with any change – particularly in this era of Tory economic chaos. But Academy Street is not a healthy place.”
Fellow Greens councillor Ryan MacKintosh, for Inverness West said: “This council has been talking of doing something to address the problem of Academy Street for years.
“We have a brilliant opportunity now, thanks to funding from the Scottish Government.”
“We cannot vote to do nothing now”.
