Spaces for people – Inverness

Inverness Councillors have considered the progress made in implementing the Scottish Government funded Spaces for People project in Inverness and how its interventions have - and will continue to - transform the city centre.

Regarding Academy Street - Councillors voted for a motion by Cllr Emma Knox and seconded by Cllr Emma Roddick to:

• retain a Spaces for People intervention in Academy Street; and
• replace the temporary spaces for people measures currently in place with more accessible and safer measures. Before installing permanent measures, agree to undertake a full accessibility assessment and work with disability groups to ensure that all future plans for spaces for people measures are safe for everyone, including disabled and partially sighted people.  

For Riverside Way – Councillors voted for a motion by Cllr Helen Carmichael, seconded by Cllr Jimmy Gray to retain the Spaces for People intervention for Riverside Way and promote a permanent Traffic Regulation Order.

For the Castle 1-way system – Councillors voted for a motion by Cllr Andrew Jarvie, seconded by Cllr Isabelle Mackenzie to remove all Spaces for People measures of the highlighted Castle scheme and restore to two-way traffic.

Councillors also agreed an amendment by Cllr Ken Gowans and seconded by Cllr Emma Knox to alter the Spaces for People intervention for Millburn Road by retaining the lane from Morrison’s junction to Eastgate underpass, and to revert the rest to road with a pedestrian crossing north of Millburn Academy on Millburn road to connect the bus stops on either side of the road to be factored in.

Officers will investigate the viability of the crossing in parallel with making the changes to the Spaces for People intervention as agreed at committee.

The Highland Council secured £1.9M from the Scottish Government’s ‘Spaces for People’ fund to deliver a Highland-wide active travel response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Members of the City of Inverness Area Committee today (26 August 2021) considered the measures that will remain in place for Inverness.

Provost of Inverness and Area, Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “Spaces for People not only provides physical distancing for the COVID-19 response it also improves the opportunity to support people to travel by healthier, low carbon transport. This supports The Highland Council’s response to Climate Change and will play an increasingly important role in how we respond to the growing climate crisis. This is not just a short-term solution it is long term planning for the future.”

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