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Work to start on development of new active travel link to encourage more walking and cycling in Inverness


By Val Sweeney

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The Raigmore Active Travel Link aims to encourage more walking and cycling.
The Raigmore Active Travel Link aims to encourage more walking and cycling.

Work on an active travel link to encourage more walking and cycling on the outskirts of Inverness will begin next week.

The Raigmore Active Travel Link, which will go from the Raigmore estate and existing Golden Bridge to the Raigmore Interchange, will form part of the Inverness City Active Travel Network (ICATN).

The route will allow access to Inverness Shopping Park from the interchange via Inverness Campus, removing the need for those walking, wheeling or cycling to cross busy roads.

Future ICATN schemes will see active travel provision improved along Millburn Road and Raigmore Interchange itself to ensure good connectivity to the city centre and east of the city.

Sjoerd Tel, infrastructure coordinator at Sustrans, which is a partner in delivering the project, said: "This work will have a real positive impact for people looking to travel between the campus, Raigmore estate and the city centre.

"The benefits will particularly come to show when improvements planned for Raigmore Interchange and Millburn corridor are also implemented in the near future."

An impression of the Raigmore Active Travel Link.
An impression of the Raigmore Active Travel Link.

The new link will consist of a Z-type layout to provide a gentler incline and will be 4m wide to allow easy access to pedestrians, cyclists, wheelers and mobility scooters.

The active travel link will be supported by sheet piles, which will be clad in Ekki hardwood, similar to those at the adjacent Inverness Campus.

The scheme also includes a guardrail, a continuous handrail, path lighting, signage and seating, and a significant landscaping scheme which will see more than 4000 shrubs and 465 trees of various sizes planted in the woodland and on embankment slopes.

The existing stepped route to Raigmore Estate from the interchange will remain and will tie into the new scheme.

Contractor Pat Munro will begin preparation work at the site from Monday ahead of the development work which will begin on May 3.

Work is due to be completed in September and regular communication will be held with local residents to reduce disruption.

Mark Smith, contracts manager at Pat Munro, said: "The Raigmore Active Travel Link is a great project that will really enhance the look of the area while providing a safe route for walking, wheeling and cycling.

"We aim to complete this project with minimum disruption to residents and will keep the local community informed throughout each stage of the works."

To see updates on the Raigmore Active Travel Link works and to sign-up for email updates, visit raigmoreactivetravellink.co.uk.

A community council meeting is scheduled to take place via Zoom on April 28 at 7pm.

Open to all Raigmore residents, those wishing to join the meeting are encouraged to visit the website for details of how to join.

Related story: Busy Inverness junction set for safety upgrades


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