Residents in Crown area of Inverness fear parking changes will pose greater dangers
Concerned residents in an Inverness neighbourhood fear planned parking changes in their road will lead to increased dangers.
Residents in Old Mill Road in the Crown area claim proposals by Highland Council to introduce double yellow lines along a section of their road are inadequate and do not address the risks.
They maintain that there has been insufficient consultation and are calling for the proposals to be deferred until council officials have met them to discuss their worries.
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The plans are contained in a Traffic Regulation order (TRO) published on February 24 proposing a range of changes in a broader area across the city, prompting Inverness BID to alert businesses that the proposals may impact traffic flow and parking arrangements in and around the city centre, as well the wider city (and Highland).
A group of residents in Old Mill Road, who have prepared their own detailed presentation to be handed over to council officials on Monday, say the majority of residents consider the engagement and consultation to be superficial and inadequate.
They say they have complained about the parking situation and dangers in their road for years with little or next to no acknowledgement, engagement or feedback.
They also maintain that the road, which is about 300 metres long and narrow, has become more dangerous over the past five years for various reasons including more cars being parked during the week by people who work in the city centre, holidaymakers during the summer and its use as a rat run.
Under the TRO, current double yellow lines would be extended 60 metres from Annfield Road.
But the concerned residents say this does not go far enough and could lead to more problems.
They point out the road has two-way traffic and a blind drop-off slope at the Damfield Road end which will increase the dangers with cars parking on the brow of the hill and also raise concerns about access to properties by emergency vehicles.
They are calling for the double yellow lines to extend both sides the full length of Old Mill Road.
Resident George Cunningham said 21 residents - about 75 per cent of Old Mill Road - met Inverness MIllburn councillor Isabelle MacKenzie to raise their concerns but other invited council representatives had not attended.
“I think that is shameful,” the retired engineer said.
“We want a deferment until the council engages properly and undertakes a consultation with all residents.
“We feel frustrated that we are being ignored.”
There are 27 properties in Old Mill Road - of which 25 are active - while more than 12 are occupied by pensioners. Six houses have children who have recently moved into the road.
Residents say children from Crown Primary School use the road and it is also used extensively by cyclists as it is considered a safer artery to and from the city centre than Old Edinburgh Road and Annfield Road.
Mr Cunningham said the present dangers would be magnified by the proposed changes.
A council spokeswoman said Old Mill Road was included in the schedule for a decriminalised parking enforcement consultation.
The Highland Council (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Parking Places) (Decriminalised Parking Enforcement and Consolidation) Variation Eight Order 2024 (DRAFT) could be viewed at www.highland.gov.uk/info/20006/parking and car parks.
“All feedback received during the consultation will be considered as part of the process,” the spokeswoman said.
“As this is on-going, it’s not appropriate to comment further.”
