Council issues Halloween appeal to drivers

The Highlands biggest theatrical experience and fancy dress event of the year, the Inverness Common Good Fund sponsored Halloween Show will be staged on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October on Ness Islands.

Over 100 performers are expected to bring to life the Highland Capital’s riverside beauty spot; and once again hundreds of families are expected to dress up their children in a colourful assortment of costumes order to help the Council scare away the annual invasion of ghosts, beasties and unmentionables which gather on the bank of the River Ness every Halloween. Created by the Highland Council in partnership with Eden Court Creative; Arts in Motion and Limelight Event Services; the free show stretches for 1300 metres around two islands. This year’s show has a “Forest of Frights” theme and visitors can expect to find surprises and screams around every darkened corner as the Islands are imaginatively brought to life.

Saturday’s show will commence at 6.30pm and Sunday’s Show at 5.30pm and no tickets are required for the free show.

The Highland Council has issued details of the temporary traffic restrictions and additional measures that will be in operation around Bught Park for next weekend’s Halloween Show and has issued an appeal to those intending to drive to “Forest of Frights” to leave their vehicles in city centre car parks and walk to the event.

A combination of increased attendances at last year’s Halloween Show; and reduced access and parking places around Bught Park as a result of Western Bypass construction work; has resulted in a new traffic management plan being designed for use on both nights of the Halloween Show by the Council and its partners. Priority access will be given to drivers with special needs and Bught residents displaying the special events passes that were delivered to every home in the immediate area last week.

Inverness Events Manager Gerry Reynolds said: “There can be no doubt that securing help from those planning on driving in is becoming increasingly important as our events grow. While we can make arrangements to have additional staff and signage in the area to help drivers; the one thing we cannot do is provide additional parking. We really need families to help us by making plans to set off earlier and identify which of the car parks that they are going to use in the city centre before they leave home.”

Details of temporary road closures for Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October from 17:00 to 21:00 are as follows:

• Ness Walk, Inverness, closed to northbound traffic between its junction with Ballifeary Lane and its con-junction with Bught Road. Vehicular access for southbound traffic will be maintained at all times.
• Bught Road, Inverness, closed to northbound traffic between its con-junction with Ness Walk and its junction with Bught Avenue. Vehicular access for southbound traffic will be maintained at all times.
• Bught Road, Inverness, closed between its junction with Bught Avenue and its junction with the access to the ‘Highland Archive Centre’. Access for parking will be controlled by personnel employed by the event organiser.
• Bught Avenue, Inverness, closed to southbound traffic between its junction with Bught Lane and its junction with Bught Road. Vehicular access for northbound traffic will be maintained at all times.

Alternative routes for vehicles will be available using Bught Road (Part), Bught Lane, Bught Drive, Bught Avenue, Glenurquhart Road, Bishop’s Road, Ness Walk (Part), Ballifeary Lane and Ballifeary Road.

The closures will affect vehicular traffic, but pedestrian access and access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times.