A consultation on plans to improve a notorious Inverness bottleneck has been extended to give people more time to have their say.
Highland Council has laid out several options for modernising Inshes junction, including introducing a signalised four-way roundabout alongside priority bus lanes to ease congestion.
An online consultation was launched in June, but now the local authority has decided to extend it by six weeks to give people the chance to view the proposals in person.
In line with the easing of Covid restrictions, the council can now hold a face-to-face drop-in session that will allow people to discuss the scheme.
Scotland’s largest local authority aim to deliver “a modern transport network” through imposing a number of traffic measures at the bottleneck junction to help ease congestion.
Inverness councillor Ian Brown welcomed the extension providing additional opportunities to garner the public’s views.
He said: “I’m really pleased that they have extended it.
“A lot of people didn’t know it was happening because we are not consulting in the normal way. There are no public meetings, there are no displays so there is nothing for anyone to see, that is the problem.
“It may have a negative effect on the Drakies Estate but there are also the potential positive effects of traffic moving more freely. We would have the four way junction rather than the roundabout but like anything, there are going to be mixed views on it.”
Mr Brown said he was also pleased about the prospects of holding a traditional drop-in session so residents can view the plans in person.
He added: “It certainly is something the council is good at. When we have these presentations, people go and see it and the experts are there to give them the answers and that’s certainly been lacking.”
Inshes junction improvements
Several designs are on the table for the junction and the surrounding transport corridor.
Improvements are being proposed on the eastern approach to the junction on the B9006 across the A9 flyover as well as access to Inshes retail park; Sir Walter Scott Drive (north and south) of Inshes roundabout and the B9006 Old Perth Road to the Fluke Junction – fronting Raigmore Hospital.
However, there has been significant objections to the link road from the Drakies Estate to the Eagle Roundabout on Sir Walter Scott Drive.
All feedback will be considered by the City of Inverness area committee later this year.
You can still have your say on the Highland Council website.
The consultation will remain active until September 10.