YOUR VIEWS: Who are the real silent majority for Inverness city centre plan?
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Who are the real silent majority for city centre plan?
Congratulations to Emily Williams for her appointment as, bicycle mayor, and her advocacy for the cycling fraternity.
This fraternity is certainly to be congratulated on its organisation and vocal advocacy.
However, her claim to represent the silent majority is possibly a little hard to sustain, bearing in mind that car owners undoubtedly outnumber cyclists and are in a position to claim this description. There are many in a similar position to myself where active travel, or travel on public transport, to shop or conduct business is infinitely problematic.
The Civic Trust were debating Academy Street 10 years ago and whilst change can be progress, we need to pragmatically ensure that those changes are progress.
At the recent consultation, the attitude seemed to be ‘it will be alright on the night’ and that longer journeys were the price of progress.
No cogent answer to the obvious question as to where the traffic will go.
If we create additional traffic jams elsewhere we are just moving the pollution into someone else’s backyard. It is very difficult to understand why Councillor Alasdair Christie’s suggestion of a trial period was not adopted as no-one appears to know with any degree of certainty what the results of the proposals will be.
Could it be that the results would be ‘inconvenient’.
It would appear that the prospect of government funding is blinding the councillors, or more importantly the executive, to the impact of pedestrianism. For this project to proceed we need hard answers to those hard questions rather than the patronising presumptions of a self-sustaining bureaucracy. This is too big a decision to get wrong.
John West, Inverness
Businesses need a breather from bureaucracy
It is good that Richard Lochhead, the minister for small businesses visited Inverness. Business owners in the Highlands often feel ignored by a central belt-focused Scottish Parliament.
Small businesses are the backbone of the Highland economy, especially those in the tourist industry.
My brother has a small sheep farm and owns Glen Spean Brewery, my sister has Rora Yogurt, one son is a co-owner of Highland Soap, another son has Left Field Kombucha, and I have the Highland Cinema and Highland Bookshop in Fort William. These small companies are high quality, well run and viable.
But businesses like these could employ more people, pay more tax and thrive if the Scottish Government took their knee off our necks.
What we need is the Scottish Government to stop the ever-increasing bureaucratic requirements of things like the proposed restrictions on alcohol advertising [now being redesigned], short term let licensing etc.
We are being hit with massive food and energy inflation, staff recruitment challenges, rising business rates and higher bank interest charges. The English hospitality sector currently has a 75 per cent business rates relief, which we do not receive in Scotland.
If Richard Lochhead could have a word with the transport minister Kevin Stewart and get some of that £4 billion budget directed to the A9, A82 and A96 that would be very useful, oh and sort the roadside rubbish blight too.
Councillor Angus MacDonald, Lochaber
Walk this way
Breast Cancer Now’s Pink Ribbon Walk events are back this summer and I want to encourage your readers to step forward and sign up for the 10 or 20-mile walks.
I know just how vital research and support is for those affected. My mum died from breast cancer, then three years later, I was given the devastating news that I had breast cancer in both breasts. Now, after gruelling treatment, I’m glad to say, it’s been 10 years since I was told I had no evidence of disease. I’m so happy to be well and enjoying life.
But I still worry for my daughter and future generations, which is why I’m taking on a 20-mile Pink Ribbon Walk this summer. This year will be my fifth Pink Ribbon Walk and every time I cross that finish line it feels incredible.
Jane Atkinson, Breast Cancer Now Pink Ribbon Walk fundraiser
Bridge work
Resurfacing of the A9 Cromarty Bridge started this Sunday and runs for a total of five nights.
Why is this bridge needing work again? The last few years it’s been dug up. It won’t be minor delays, it’ll be huge tailbacks. What are they actually doing to improve the road apart from digging up the same expensive tar over and over again?
Allen Ross, Fearn
