Hello,
On 28th August councillors on the Inverness area committee voted 12-10 to continue to work on the proposal to block off Academy Street as a through route for cars. The vote split was as follows:-
Supported Option B
Chris Balance Green
Bill Boyd SNP
Ian Brown SNP city leader
Michael Cameron SNP
David Fraser Independent
Ken gowns SNP
Jackie Hendry SNP
Emma Knox SNP
Ryan McIntosh Green
Kate McLean SNP
Morven Reid Independent
Glynis Sinclair SNP
Opposed Option B
Colin Aitken Liberal Democrats
Alasdair Christie Liberal Democrats
Helen Crawford Conservative
Alex Graham Liberal Democrats
Bet Macallister Labour
Isabelle MacKenzie Conservative
Andrew Mackintosh Labour
Duncan MacPherson Independent
Trish Robinson Liberal Democrats
Andrew Sinclair Conservative
A motion to challenge this is now going to the full council meeting on 14th September. Please find the time to write to all councillors asking them to block these damaging proposals. Just a short note would do, but better still explain why you oppose the proposal
See below my email to councillors this morning.
There is a list of email addresses at the bottom.
Dear Councillor,
On 14th September the full council will review the 12-10 vote by Inverness Area committee to carry on developing a project that would see private cars banned from traversing the length of Academy Street
This is an ill thought out, damaging proposal that has very little merit. A major reason for the design is to access funding – an absolute non-reason. It comes from SUSTRANS requiring vehicle numbers to be under 2,000 per day to access the money.
A second reason given is to reduce pollution, but that also appears weak as pollution levels are already falling and are well within limits. In a recent comment on the new Glasgow ULEZ scheme an air quality expert said, “Buses are the main polluters…therefore you have to question the point of banning cars given all the cost, disruption and inconvenience.” This is relevant to issues that would come from closing off Academy Street to cars which would cause traffic problems elsewhere.
There are claims that this would improve things for cyclists but, that is incorrect. The proposed narrowed carriageways (6.2 metres wide) would be less suited to bicycles than a wider lane width. When on a wide lane, vehicles can safely flow past bikes, and then bikes can ride up to the front at traffic lights. With narrow lanes that just does not work. It is hard to see that something which is intrinsically anti-car can be bad for bikes, but this plan manages to achieve that.
Academy Street is an important artery in the circulation system of Inverness. Think of carers who criss-crosses Inverness between clients. I spoke to one carer who passes along Academy Street several times a day - but surely no one can say her journeys are not needed. One councillor, replying to her, dismissed her concerns that she would have much extended journey by saying, “I understand your routes will be different, as will mine, and other folk who cross town.” No recognition of the problems, not helpful.
Tying off the Academy Street artery would cause our city the same sort of issues as doing that to a person. Disability, restricted activity or death.
Inverness is a city but also a “county town” serving the whole of the Highlands. We cannot expect someone from Stratherrick or Gairloch to come in by bike. People might want to drop into Farm & Household, then maybe an office in Church Street then pick up something in the Carse or Longman then out again. These trips need Academy Street to be open.
Inverness BID carried out a survey of local businesses and saw huge opposition to these proposals. I started a petition to ask for the Spaces for People bollards to be removed and have gained nearly 5,000 signatures. These views were ignored by the Inverness City Committee councillors who voted for this proposal.
At the City meeting councillors made inflated claims for the project or prophesied disaster if we do not do it. These range from the idea of developing a café culture of outdoor tables through to “we have to do this, or we will be under water”!
On 18th August I submitted a formal complaint to the council over untrue statements made in support of the project. Just the most obvious was a claim that Academy Street does not show up on Google maps as a route between Merkinch and Eastgate, which is easily proved to be untrue. Subsequent statements from councillors such as “he was honest” do not cut it.
I have had no response to my complaint to date. It appears the administration are “circling the wagons” to defend their pet project.
Transport creates around a quarter of emissions. Cars are under half of that, so cars contribute just 10 to 12% of emissions. The problem for anyone looking at this, in the whole, is that there would NOT be a “saving” of that 10 or 12% of emissions. People currently using Academy Street to get through Inverness would be forced onto longer routes so would use more time and more fuel and create MORE emissions.
For example, someone living in Fairfield Road wanting to get to Eastgate would have a MUCH longer journey if Academy Street was blocked to them.
Using Academy Street
Friar Street Bridge, Shore Street roundabout, Chapel Street, Academy Street.
OR - if Academy Street was closed off,
Kenneth Street, Young Street, Ness Bridge, Bridge Street, Castle Street, Culduthel Road, Old Edinburgh Road, Southside Road, Kingsmills Road, Midmills Road, Crown Circus, Crown Road.
Would the shopper spend that extra time, using more fuel and putting out more pollution, or would they stop using Inverness businesses altogether and buy online? Remember that such a move to online purchases would cost local jobs and would increase delivery traffic.
The council seems dazzled by the prospect of accessing funding and spending millions but ignore the real damage their plans would cause.
Please listen to residents and businesses. This scheme would be damaging to residents, visitors and businesses.
Yours faithfully
Donald MacKenzie
52 Crown Drive
Inverness IV2 3QG
Tel 01463 712619
email donald@drivebs.co.uk
Alasdair Christie <alasdair.christie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Alasdair Rhind <alasdair.rhind.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Alex Graham <alex.graham.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Baldrey <Andrew.Baldrey@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Jarvie <andrew.jarvie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew MacKintosh <Andrew.MacKintosh.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Sinclair <andrew.sinclair.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Angela MacLean <angela.maclean.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Angus MacDonald <Angus.MacDonald.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Barbara Jarvie <Barbara.Jarvie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bet McAllister <elizabeth.mcallister.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bill Boyd <bill.boyd.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bill Lobban <bill.lobban.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Biz Campbell <isabelle.campbell.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Calum Munro <calum.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Chris Ballance <Chris.Ballance.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Chris Birt <Chris.Birt.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Colin Aitken <colin.aitken.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; David Fraser <david.fraser.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; David Gregg <David.Gregg.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Derek Louden <derek.louden.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Drew Millar <Drew.Millar.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Duncan MacPherson <duncan.macpherson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Emma Knox <emma.knox.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Glynis Campbell-Sinclair <glynis.sinclair.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Graham MacKenzie <graham.mackenzie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Helen Crawford <Helen.Crawford.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Hugh Morrison <hugh.morrison.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ian Brown <ian.brown2.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Isabelle MacKenzie <isabelle.mackenzie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jackie Hendry <Jackie.Hendry.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jan McEwan <Jan.McEwan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jim McGillivray <jim.mcgillivray.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Bruce <john.bruce.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Finlayson <john.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Grafton <John.Grafton.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Karl Rosie <karl.rosie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Kate MacLean <Kate.MacLean.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Kate Willis <Kate.Willis.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ken Gowans <ken.gowans.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Laurie Fraser <laurie.fraser.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Leslie-anne Niven <Leslie-anne.Niven.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Liz Kraft <Liz.Kraft.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Liz Saggers <Liz.Saggers.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Lyndsey Johnston <Lyndsey.Johnston.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Margaret Paterson <margaret.paterson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Marianne Hutchison <Marianne.Hutchison.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Matthew Reiss <matthew.reiss.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Maxine Morley-Smith <maxine.smith.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Baird <Michael.Baird.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Cameron <Michael.Cameron.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Green <Michael.Green.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Molly Nolan <Molly.Nolan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Morven Reid <Morven.Reid.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Morven-May MacCallum <Morven-May.MacCallum.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Muriel Cockburn <muriel.cockburn.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Patrick Logue <Patrick.Logue.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Paul Oldham <Paul.Oldham.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Pauline Munro <pauline.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Raymond Bremner <raymond.bremner.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Richard Gale <richard.gale.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ron Gunn <Ron.Gunn.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ruraidh Stewart <Ruraidh.Stewart.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Russell Jones <Russell.Jones.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ryan MacKintosh <Ryan.MacKintosh.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sarah Atkin <Sarah.Atkin.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sarah Fanet <sarah.fanet.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sean Kennedy <Sean.Kennedy.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Struan Mackie <struan.mackie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Tamala Collier <Tamala.Collier.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Thomas MacLennan <Thomas.MacLennan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Trish Robertson <trish.robertson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Willie MacKay <willie.mackay.cllr@highland.gov.uk>