THE new layout of an Inverness street has come under fire from businesses after it reopened to traffic.
Local hoteliers feel that Ness Walk now gives the impression of being pedestrian only, despite vehicles having one-way access to it.
As part of the £6million Streetscape project to transform the city centre, the pavements of Ness Walk have been lowered to the level of the road, leading some people to assume that the road is now pedestrianised.
Last night Highland Council said there was further work still to be carried out to install signs and that speed limits had been reduced to 20mph to improve the “pedestrian environment”.
It comes just a few weeks after temporary barriers and warning signs were put up in Union Street after several pedestrians stepped out into the path of oncoming buses. A stretch of the road had undergone a similar transformation to Ness Walk.
John Munro, who runs the Castleview Guest House on Ness Walk, welcomed the general improvement which he felt “opened up” that area of the city centre.
But he wondered if traffic-calming signs warning of pedestrians were still to be installed and felt that children could be put in danger by not being aware that it is still a road.
Mr Munro said: “It could be dangerous, but I'm not sure if it has been completed.
“With the pavements not having a kerb dropping down to the road it could be an area where children will run around and not be aware that it is still a road."
Iqbal Mohammed, owner of The Winston guesthouse in Ardross Terrace, and the Whin Park guesthouse in Ardross Street, said: “In my eyes it’s dangerous because there is nothing to tell you it’s a road for cars.
“But it’s the continental feel that Highland Council seems to be going for. Some roads and streets abroad don’t show pavements as such, they just do them in a different colour of cobble.
However, Mr Mohammed welcomed the opening of the road after experiencing disruption for months.
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “Road markings will be introduced this week and further works include installation of bollards and street furniture, all of which provide further demarcation. The shared surface concept at Ness Walk, with reduced traffic speeds of 20mph, is designed to improve the pedestrian environment.”