Ness Walk Traffic Management

Representatives of The Highland Council met with business and residential stakeholders from the Ness Walk area today (Thursday) to review the latest options for traffic management and streetscape design for Ness Walk.  The meeting followed talks in May last year when local businesses asked the Council to reconsider the planned introduction of one way traffic northwards ie from the Cathedral towards the Ness Bridge.

The attendees were shown computer simulated models for a range of traffic flow options.  Working from a baseline of peak time traffic counts taken in August 2007, the model clearly illustrated the traffic impact of each option to the immediate vicinity and to the wider city traffic network.  The resulting data revealed that reversing the flow to one way southwards, from Ness Bridge towards the Cathedral, would have a detrimental affect on Ardross Street, Kenneth Street and Bishops Road.  In order to find a workable solution, the Council’s transportation officers promoted the idea of making Kenneth Street one-way from Ardross Street to the junction with Tomnahuirich Street.  The introduction of 2 lanes exiting from this section of Kenneth Street would make a significant reduction in peak time queuing and delays.  The most efficient option would also remove the traffic signals at the Ness Bridge/Young Street junction to create a 50% improvement in traffic flows on the A82 approach.

Provost Bob Wynd, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee said: “We listened to the concerns expressed by the Ness Walk stakeholders last year and officers have undertaken a thorough and considered appraisal of all the options to try and find the best solution.  This traffic simulation model provides an excellent demonstration of how each scenario would operate in practice and I think it helped highlight that a more radical approach is necessary to achieve the positive results we all want.

“Other issues in relation to parking and loading, coach drop-off and pedestrian crossings have been discussed as well as a cycle path and environmental improvements on Ness Walk.  Today was a continuation of the consultation process and as we move forward to develop the final design there will be more opportunities for the wider public to make their views known.”

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For more information contact
Marie Mackintosh, City Partnership Officer at marie.mackintosh@highland.gov.uk or  01463 724380 / 07751 051371