Bus passengers in Inverness will face major disruption from tonight due to work taking place on the city’s West Link road.
Temporary restrictions will be in place on the A82 Inverness-Fort William road at the Tomnahurich bridge, which will be closed from 7pm tonight until 6am tomorrow.
Highland Council has also warned drivers that there will be overnight closures on Thursday and Monday next week.
Stagecoach has asked passengers to allow extra time for their journeys as a result of the diversion across the Muirtown swing bridge.
Services will be unable to serve Mile End and Glenurquhart Road during the closure.
Stagecoach said that notice of the road closure from the local authority was received on Thursday last week.
The bus company requested that the closure could be delayed one week to allow time to fully notify passengers – but the council refused.
Graeme Leslie, operations director for Stagecoach North Scotland, said: “We would like to reassure customers we are doing everything possible to keep your bus running to time. We have stressed our concerns and the impact it will have on our customer base within Inverness however regrettably there will be disruption to passengers in Mile End and Glenurquhart Road.
“We would like to thank our passengers for their patience at this time and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Services affected include: The 8C leaving Highfield at 21 minutes past each hour from 7.21pm will travel back to the city via Telford Street.
Services that should serve Tomnahurich Street from 7.37pm and at 37 minutes past each hour will travel to Highfield via Telford Street.
Service 19 at 8.15pm leaving Inverness to Fort William and the 8.40pm leaving Fort William will operate via General Booth Road and Telford Street.
Service 17A will divert via General Booth Road and Telford Street.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, lane narrowing restrictions will be in place during the day on the same stretch of road.
Another two overnight closures will be required on Thursday and Monday. Road lining works will be carried out during the day on Tuesday, so temporary lane closures will be in place.
Bus passengers are urged to check stagecoachbus.com which will be updated with the information as soon as it is released.
A council spokesman said: “The restrictions are necessary to allow us to complete the tie in works for the West Link with the A82.”
