Traffic congestion eases on west side Inverness after day of gridlock
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There was relief for drivers on the west side of Inverness this afternoon as Torvean Swing Bridge re-opened to traffic.
Earlier in the day and throughout the week, motorists had faced long tailbacks and delays of up to an hour after A82 traffic was diverted along General Booth Road in Kinmylies.
Kenneth Street, Telford Street and Clachnaharry Road were also badly affected.
The problem was caused by the latest work on the Inverness West Link and new swing bridge project.
However, the A82 canal crossing to Glenurquhart Road and the city centre was reopened at around 2.45 pm today.
Stephen Scott, project manager for RJ McLeod on the West Link project, was hopeful there would be no further closures over the weekend or into next week.
Mr Scott said: “There is nothing further planned in the foreseeable future, but we will need to speak to Highland Council and the trunk roads authority on that one.”
Highland Council, which is project managing the work with contractors RJ McLeod, had warned of likely delays earlier this week.
The diversion onto General Booth Road caused regular snarl ups of traffic heading to and from the city centre.
Skye resident Tom Campbell, who regularly visits his son at the city’s New Craigs Hospital, told us earlier today: “I’ve spent six hours this week, in all, stuck in traffic on my way to the hospital. It is time I can ill-afford..
“It has been absolute gridlock. I don’t know who gave them permission to do that.
“I phoned the contractors and they apologised, but said they couldn’t do the work at night because of noise issues.
“I’ve spoken to hospital staff and a lot of them were experiencing real problems making shifts on time.”
This week saw construction begin on the new Torvean Bridge, with deck components arriving at the site from fabricators in Darlington.
Surfacing works on the A82 were to blame for delays. Landscaping works have also continued, including the building of new walls and ongoing planting on the new roundabout.
Contractors working on the Inverness West Link bypass have said the project, delayed during the Covid-19 lockdown, is progressing well and on target to be completed in the early summer of 2021.
