Inverness Cairngorm Group steps in to save life-saving equipment; plus anger over ongoing city roadworks and Highland Council seeks travel views
YOUR VIEWS: Readers on the stories that have been making the headlines
Further works at busy interchange Temporary traffic lights are currently being utilised on Raigmore Interchange[1] to allow improvements on pedestrian access as part of the ongoing project to improve active travel. It is the latest chapter in long-running works at the site.
"Farcical -- extended from four to seven months, and the impact is staggering. Near misses at Eastfield roundabout are genuinely alarming, while delays exiting Eastfield Retail Park or travelling the A96 from Smithton/Culloden are excruciating daily. Then there's SGN's so-called 'emergency works' -- if it's truly an emergency, why does it look like a weekend hobby project?
No extended daylight working, no weekend shifts, and an optional bank holiday casually taken. Emergency works should mean exactly that -- urgency, maximum resource, and round-the-clock effort. Instead, those unaffected remain indifferent while commuters and local businesses bear the brunt of continued chaos and disruption every single day." - Stuart, Inverness
"Do the clowns that write the contracts for major works like this not consider putting in penalty clauses for overrunning and creating misery for travellers forced to suffer? Maybe that would wake up these companies and force them to actually get the job done within reasonable timescales!" - Brian Hatton "Brian Hatton, in an 'ideal' world, contracts like this can run smoothly and without delay and inconvenience.
The reality is that an existing gas main was found to be in a poorer condition than previously thought, so its replacement has impacted the planned pedestrian/cyclist safety and signalisation works." - Rick Deckard[2] "Yes it's terrible that the work has gone over its completion time. That seems a given in this day and age.
But the great British public do not help matters. If those drivers that stay in the outside lane approaching the interchange from the retail park would read their Highway Code hold-ups would be reduced in time and unnecessary stress to the commuting public. USE BOTH LANES up to the point you are required to use the zip method to keep traffic flowing smoother than it is now.
If you're not sure what this means? Please feel free to hand back your driving license or read the Highway Code." - Stuart Gilchrist
City business to pay for upkeep of defibrillators A business has stepped in to fund the upkeep of lifesaving equipment in Inverness city centre.
We reported how Inverness BID was appealing to local businesses for 33p per unit per day to help it fund five accessible defibrillators after councillors on the Inverness Common Good Fund sub-committee indicated they would be unwilling to provide funding after this year. The Cairngorm Group said it will fund the "guardianship" costs for the next five years.[3][4]
"Seems to be the way these days that the council have not got their priorities right (again)!" - Shirley Reid "Well done the Cairngorm Group; the council are happy to blow away the money on things less urgent than defibrillators." - Ken Morrison
"An absolute disgrace on this Highland Council for not paying 33p a day. Who knows, but it could save a councillor's life!!! Disgusting attitude and an embarrassment to the local councillors that this council are too tight to pay for a life saving device." - Karyn J Silver
"Councillors should be ashamed." - Margaret Munro
Survey looking at long distance travel
Ways of making long-distance travel easier are being explored by Highland Council - and it wants the public to have their say. The local authority is inviting residents across the Highland area to share their views on longer-distance travel from Inverness, including how they currently make journeys to the central belt.[5] "Integrated travel systems with buses that connect with trains.
Sheltered walkways so you don't get soaked to the skin after landing in Inverness after 29 hour journey because you have to face the elements on the way to long term stay car park." - Janet Gillies "Being able to get in and out of the city smoothly might be a good start rather than the interchange fiasco, never mind trying to get through Nairn in the summer which will be getting worse with all the extra houses being built beside the main road. Long distance travel is much harder when the first 20 miles takes longer than the next 70." - Ian Sherriffs
"Not one motorway in the Highlands. Not one motorway to get to the Highlands. Not even a dual carriageway that goes east to west." - Bob Stott
"Roads with no potholes would be a start!" - Trevor Hill "Apart from poor roads, poor traffic management, highest fuel cost in Britain , stupid 20mph in areas that don't need it, unsuitable trains, lack of train lines to most areas, bus routes being discontinued, lack of proper campsites and facilities for campervans, caravans and tents. All costs money I know, so maybe a tourist tax for non Scots visiting the area." - Brian Hay
"Speed limits in toon back to 30. Normal roads 70. Dual carriageway 80 and motorways 90.
Then we can get there quicker. Cars are fit to handle these speeds now. Lorries 50 and 60 on dual carriageways then everything done quicker.
Nairn back to 40 and get rid of the new roundabout that should never have been built in first place. Life would be a lot better." - Trevor James Mair
"Try making it easier to get from one side of Inverness to the other to start with. It's impossible to move around Inverness due to poor roads, traffic lights and buses that disappear.
Why call it a city when it's back in the dark ages." - Karen Doonan Letters should be submitted to [email protected]. Please include your address and a daytime contact number.
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References
- ^ currently being utilised on Raigmore Interchange (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)
- ^ an existing gas main was found to be in a poorer condition than previously thought (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)
- ^ fund the upkeep of lifesaving equipment (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)
- ^ after councillors on the Inverness Common Good Fund sub-committee indicated they would be unwilling to provide funding after this year (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)
- ^ and it wants the public to have their say (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.inverness-courier.co.uk)