Inverness taxi rank closed ahead of major city centre regeneration project
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A popular Inverness city centre taxi rank has now officially been decommissioned ahead of a major project to regenerate the surrounding area.
The rank, in Castle Wynd, was closed today with contractors, Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd, set to carry out the £373,515 project.
Members of the Inverness Taxi Alliance had called for a delay to the work until the findings of the Scottish Ombudsman into their complaint over its removal were published – which is expected to take eight to 10 weeks.
However David Haas, the city of Inverness area manager, said there were no grounds for delaying the closure of the taxi rank and the work would continue as scheduled.
Alliance chairman Andrew MacDonald claimed they originally complained because they felt the only alternative that had so far been offered was "inadequate".
Speaking to the Highland News this week, he said they had made a "tacit acceptance" that they could not stop its removal and added: "We will wait for the outcome from the ombudsman."
Mr MacDonald said they had already stated their case and the council had chosen to ignore a 3,600 signature petition against the removal of the rank. He added: "We can't stop them."
Members of the city of Inverness area committee previously agreed to the removal of the taxi rank arrangements at the Wynd and a full time replacement will be maintained on the south side of Bridge Street.
The work was due to begin this week and it is hoped, that when the project has been completed, pedestrians will benefit from an increase in walkways and upgrade of the steps to Inverness Castle and the footsteps leading to the River Ness behind upper Bridge Street will also be improved.
It is expected to take 16 weeks to complete and a council spokeswoman said the January 6 start date had been selected to allow for adequate notice to be given to the public and for the rank to be used throughout the festive period.
She added: "The works will include road and footway reconstruction using granite setts and kerbs, and Caithness flagstones. New granite steps will be installed on the castle approach and steps, along with new pedestrian handrails. The former toilet block will be rendered, and its existing signage replaced."
