Inverness councillor calls for Academy Street traffic impact assessment
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A city councillor is concerned about the impact of changes in Academy Street on other areas of Inverness.
Inverness South member Duncan Macpherson has raised particular concerns about additional traffic unable to use Academy Street as a through route if proposed changes are implemented making its way along Millburn Road to the Harbour Road level crossing.
"This railway level crossing is currently closed to traffic on 33 occasions in each working day!" he said.
"Sixteen times while the train goes one way out of Inverness Station towards the airport and a further 17 times a day for the train going into Inverness Station from the airport and Aberdeen line.
"Twenty-two of these closures occur during the hours between 8.55am and 6.05pm.
"Traffic waiting at either side of the railway line are held up for around thre minutes each time and it takes a further few minutes to get all the backed up traffic flowing again because the narrow railway bridge on Harbour Road isn’t wide enough for two large vehicles to pass one another under the stone built bridge, so it acts like a give/take chicane for five minutes after each closure.
"Railway line level crossing closures take up around 100 minutes (1 hour 40 minutes) each day and the five minutes for traffic to clear, that’s around 165 minutes each day– that’s two hours and 45 minutes.
"During these times of traffic stoppage, because of the railway line level crossing closures, it causes time delays and inconvenience for delivery vehicles and staff and customers getting to and from their workplaces and to the many car dealerships and other businesses on Harbour Road and throughout the rest of the busy Longman Industrial Estate.
"The Longman Industrial Estate is estimated to be the largest industrial estate north of Glasgow.
"A full impact study should be conducted by the Highland Council to see a ‘Before’ and ‘After’ picture of traffic volumes on Harbour Road and what effect the displacement of 5000 vehicle journeys along Academy Street will make to the many other city businesses which could be affected by increased traffic, traffic jams at pinch points and extended journey times and more fuel used by all to commute around the Highland capital."
Much of Inverness city centre's business community has spoken out against the proposed changes along with the Scottish Licensed Trade Association whose managing director fears it will have a similar negative impact on trade as he says has been experienced in other city centres where measures have been implemented to reduce traffic volumes.
Highland Greens councillors, healthcare and climate campaigners, however, say the changes proposed are necessary.
Members of Highland Council's city of Inverness area committee are due to decide on whether or not to approve changes to traffic control measures on Academy Street at a meeting on Monday morning.
