Fresh Public Engagement over Inverness Trunk Link Road Route

A joint meeting of The Highland Council’s Inverness Millburn and Inverness South Ward Forums will be held at Inshes Church, Inverness, on Thursday 20 November to update the public on proposals for routing the Eastern/Inshes Section of the proposed Inverness Trunk Link Road, which will link the A96 at Smithton to General Booth Road, Torvean.

Comments recorded when the Council unveiled proposals for the Inshes Retail Park section of the road in May, this year, together with responses to these comments, will be reported to the meeting, which starts at 7.30 pm.

The following day a public exhibition, setting out the options for the Inverness Trunk Link road, will be held at Inshes Church between 10 am and 7 pm.

More than 100 comments were received when the Council first consulted the public over the route through the Inshes Retail Park.  Two options were presented, namely a south route via Inshes Church and a north route, via the Tesco store.

Comments received include proposals for a new road line to the south of Inverness; variations on the proposed route through the retail park; concerns about local access and access from local roads to the A9; and concerns about pedestrian access.

Neil Gillies, Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services, said the latest consultation would provide feedback on the first round of consultation.

He said: “It is important to stress that we will not be making any announcement on which route is favoured by the Council. Rather this is a chance for the public to make further comment on the proposals.”

Mr Gillies said the trunk link road would provide a number of major benefits for Inverness and the wider Highlands including economic development; a sustainable transport infrastructure; reduced traffic congestion; access to the new Inverness College / UHI campus site at Beechwood; and release land for affordable housing.

The construction costs to complete the project – both the east and west links – are currently estimated at £120 million.

This level of cost is beyond the Council and the project is currently being considered by the Scottish Government as part of the Strategic Transport Review (STPR).

The outcome of the review is now expected early in the new year.

The Council has already expressed a preference for the road line for the west link – from Dores Roundabout to the A 82 at Torvean - at its meeting on 27 September 2007.

Much of the road line for the east link – from the A96 at Smithton to the Southern Distributor Road – is across open ground.  However, the route through the Inshes area is particularly complex and that is why the Council is consulting so closely with the public and interested parties.