Inverness Trunk Link Road – Preferred Line Chosen

Highland Councillors have agreed to press the Scottish Government for an Inverness Trunk Link road, the central plank of the transport master plan for the city.

The major project will now be submitted to the Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review, which considers transport projects to be funded by the Scottish Government.

The trunk link road will feature a new link to the east of the city, which is timetabled to be built between 2010 and 2012, and a new link to the west of the city, which is earmarked for construction between 2012-2015.

At a special meeting of The Highland Council today (Thursday), the Council unanimously agreed the preferred road line for the eastern section (A 96 at Smithton to Inshes).  It will include a new road from the A96 from Smithton junction to the A9 at Inshes and incorporate a crossing of the railway.  The existing A96 into the city will revert to a distributor road. The estimated cost is £33 million.

There was debate over the preferred road line for the western section (Dores Roundabout to the A82 at Torvean).

Option one, recommended by officials, proposed construction of  a bridge over the River Ness and a high level opening bridge – with 15 metre clearance - over the Caledonian Canal. The estimated cost is £50 million.

Option two proposed a fixed link involving construction of a bridge over the river and a tunnel/aqueduct passing under the canal at an estimated cost of £85 million.

The Council voted 41 to 21 in favour of option two (a bridge over the river and a tunnel/aqueduct passing under the canal at an estimated cost of £85 million).

Convener Councillor Sandy Park said: “This is a crucially important project for the economic wellbeing of Inverness and the wider Highlands. While there was division over the route for the western link, we have reached a decision and the most important thing is that everyone recognises the need for the investment in a trunk link route.  We will lobby the Scottish Government as hard as we can to ensure the major project receives priority consideration.”