YOUR VIEWS: Congestion and pollution costs of plans for Academy Street in Inverness?

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Readers on one of the topics sharply dividing opinion in Inverness.

Academy Street plans could increase pollution?

Plans from Highland Council to block private cars from Academy Street would cause inconvenience to residents, businesses and visitors and increase vehicle emissions.

I recently had to collect some paperwork, too hefty to carry on my bike, from an office on Church Street. I had to go along the following streets: Crown Drive, Crown Road, Academy Street, Friars Lane, Church Street, Queensgate, Academy Street, Crown Road and Crown Drive.

If the council push through their vanity project I would have to go the following: Crown Drive, Crown Road, Academy Street, Union Street, Church Street, Queensgate, Strothers Lane, Rose Street, Longman Road, Chapel Street, Friars Lane, Church Street, Post Office Lane, Academy Street, Friars Lane, Bank Street, Bridge Street, Castle Street, Culduthel Road, Old Edinburgh Road, Southside Road, Kingsmills Road, Union Road, Midmills Road and Crown Drive.

I make that 25 roads instead of nine, and my time and fuel use would be proportionate to that, ie about trebled.

Any councillor backing the plans clearly does not understand the reality that we need access into and through the city.

Donald MacKenzie

Inverness

Progress or opening the door to more congestion?

The plans for Academy Street also attracted plenty of comment online in the wake of an event organised by Inverness Business Improvement District (BID) to bring together business owners, councillors and council officials – and at which a representative of the Eastgate Shopping Centre said they would push for judicial review if the plans in their current form were progressed.

“Nah, you can’t hold back progress. There’s no excuse for cars unnecessarily being near pedestrians now.” – Hugo Spetznaz

“Hugo Spetznaz, no excuse for unnecessary congestion either, Inverness traffic will simply stop with this plan” – Alan Gillespie

“The council are doing this all wrong in my eyes. Would it not make sense to have a park and ride system in place first before starting anything in Academy Street?” – Hugh Morgan

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