Highland Council hopes to allay concerns about controversial Academy Street revamp

Highland Council hopes it has “allayed concerns” about its plans for Academy Street at an event at Inverness Town House showing stakeholders the latest designs for what has been a hugely divisive issue for the city.

Businesses were in uproar about the initial proposals which aimed to slash traffic by about 75 per cent and fiercely criticised the council over what it saw as a misleading consultation process.

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Now in an apparent effort to rebuild bridges and persuade the unconvinced, the council invited stakeholders like Inverness BID, the city’s chamber of commerce and active travel campaigners like Emily Williams, bicycle mayor of Inverness, together.

Officers were at pains to insist that the proposals did not amount to pedestrianisation and instead were aimed at allowing the right level of access for those people who really need it while reducing car journeys through the centre of Inverness.

The introduction of a bus lane which will be used by taxis, emergency services and cyclists alone to cut private vehicle movements to less than 2000 a day achieved by changing how private vehicles enter and exit Academy Street.

So vehicle access will be maintained but it will be impossible to drive directly down Academy Street through the centre of the city without being detected by number plate recognition and potentially fined.

That will see traffic from Millburn Road diverted via Union Street into Queensgate and out Strothers Lane while vehicles approaching from Chapel Street will turn left at Strothers Lane.

Drivers coming into the city via Chapel Street and Church Street will not be able to access Queensgate but will instead turn left onto Post Office Avenue and then left onto Academy Street – unless they are delivering.

That, it is hoped, will allow for widening pavements to make it more attractive for pedestrians as well as hospitality businesses who will be supported to explore options for pavement seating for customers.

There will be no change in the number of taxi ranks or parking, disabled parking, or loading bays.

Highland Council’s Inverness city leader Ian Brown said: “We hosted this event following feedback given after the three-day public information sessions we ran back in March as we felt that it was necessary to show more detail on the design and provide further clarity.

“I hope that it provided clarity and, in some cases, allayed concerns regarding the proposal.”

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