River Ness Flood Scheme work starts in earnest

The Inverness public is being advised that work will start in earnest from Monday 16 September  on the construction of flood walls along the River Ness between the Ness Bridge and Friars Bridge.   Every attempt is being made to minimise disruption by maintaining at all times pedestrian access to shops and businesses, which will continue to trade as normal.

Signs have been put in place to give motorists advance warning of the works, which are part of an £8.5 million first phase of flood wall construction to ease the threat of flooding to 800 homes and 200 businesses.

The work is being carried out for The Highland Council by Morgan Sindall.

From 7am on Monday 16 September there will be no through road on Bank Street from Fraser Street to Friars Lane.  This will remain in place until 29 November.  Access to Fraser Street via Bank Street will only be authorised for taxis, buses, cyclists, waste management, delivery and emergency vehicles and property, pedestrian and hotel access.  Traffic management will be in place during this period.   To accommodate  advance drainage works, Fraser Street  closed at 7am today (Monday 9 September) and will remain closed until the morning of Saturday 14th September, with access restricted for deliveries and to properties only.  Pedestrian access will be maintained.

From 7am on Monday 16 September the one-way system on Huntly Street between Young Street and Greig Street will be permanently reversed.   The traffic lights at the Young Street/Huntly St junction will be switched off to improve traffic flow in the direction of Greig Street.  There will also be one-way movement in Greig Street, from  Huntly Street to Kings Street. This is a permanent measure.

From Monday 16 September until Friday 29 November, SStagecoach will be re-routing Services 17, 19, 28, 917 and 919 via Friars Bridge. Passengers should note that the Young St bus stop will be moved to Kenneth Street (opposite Central Primary School)  There will also be changes to the pick-up points for services 3, 4, 6, 7 which will use bus stops in Union St during the works, rather than  on Academy Street  at Farmfoods. Stagecoach will be notifying passengers of this change on buses and at the bus stops.

Motorists and cyclists are advised to plan their journeys in advance of these changes.