Questions raised over demand for more bus services in Inverness neighbourhood as planning application is lodged for controversial link at Raigmore Hospital
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The level of demand for more bus services in an Inverness neighbourhood has been queried by opponents of a proposed bus link through the grounds of the city’s Raigmore Hospital.
Highland Council has submitted a formal planning application for the new link – connecting Churchill Road with the hospital site – which is a condition of the elective care centre being built at Inverness Campus.
It is also expected to improve bus service provision in the Raigmore housing estate where currently the maximum frequency is one bus every half-hour.
This could rise to a maximum of one every 10 minutes in each direction through the bus link – although the exact make-up of services is yet to be determined and will be subject to demand.
But the proposed new link has split the community with some residents strongly opposing the plan saying it will have a detrimental impact on the residential amenity, noise levels, air quality and biodiversity and involve the felling of mature trees.
A campaign group also questioned the level of demand for increased bus services within the estate at a meeting of Raigmore Community Council.
Ian Cowan, an environmental and planning law consultant representing the group, said it was probably better to determine demand before spending £500,000 public money on the link.
"It seems madness to be spending all this money on something which is not properly evidenced," he said.
He could not see what evidence there was for demand for increased bus services.
"The community group thinks most people in the community are happy with the level of bus services, and are happy it is a cul-de-sac."
But community council chairman Munro Ross believed there was demand but felt the community council was under attack due to divisions.
"Sometimes we feel as though we are getting abused for doing our jobs as community councillors," he said.
"We had an opportunity to do some good and we always seem to get criticised for it.
"One of our office bearers nearly resigned because she felt she couldn’t take any more of the way everything she put down on paper was being attacked."
A transport statement accompanying the application states the proposed link will be regulated by a traffic order restricting use to passenger service vehicles and emergency vehicles only.
A physical barrier will be operated by an electronic token carried by the vehicles or automatic number plate recognition.
Planning application to be submitted for controversial bus link
