A major traffic survey has started in Inverness as Highland Council prepares to ramp up its road safety plans.
Numerous speed counters have been installed across the Highland capital in recent days.
The local authority’s road safety team is currently working on a number of projects designed to gather as much data as possible about driver behaviour.
The data these counters provide will then be used to determine where 20mph speed limit zones will be rolled out.
There will be 250 survey locations across the Highlands, but for now it is restricted to Inverness.
The surveys have been spotted in places like Barn Church Road in Culloden, Caulfield Road in Cradlehall and MacAskill Drive in Milton of Leys.
When will the traffic survey results be published?
A spokeswoman for Highland Council said: “The speed count is one element of the data gathering process.
“Results will be accessible to the public from January.
“This data will allow informed decisions to be made in relation to a range of projects.”
The results will also be used alongside data from the safer routes to school scheme.
A pilot project has just started at Duncan Forbes Primary in Culloden.
It will be rolled out to three other north primary schools in January.
It uses a school street zone – where the roads around a school are temporarily restricted.
This occurs during set times when pupils are being dropped off or picked up.
Councillor Ken Gowans, who is chairman of the economy and infrastructure committee, said: “Research has shown that reductions in speeds make our streets much safer places. It reduces the impacts and incidences of injuries.
“This will support and encourage more active travel and make our communities much safer, especially for our children.”
‘It’s about making these places better to walk, cycle and drive’
A move towards more 20mph zones, especially on urban roads, appears to be the direction of travel.
Transport Scotland has commissioned a £1m-plus country-wide survey of the roads network.
In the survey, it asks local councils to look to a future where 20mph is the norm.
Further south, Transport for London announced earlier this month that 17 miles of roads in the UK capital will become 20mph zones by March 2023.
The changes have proved controversial with some drivers.
But Rod King, founder and director of the 20’s Plenty For Us campaign, believes their ability to reduce accidents must be taken advantage of.
Mr King, who received an MBE in 2013 for services to road safety, said: “It’s really just about making these places better places to walk, cycle and drive.
“What we find from UK-wide surveys is that when asked about 20mph zones for residential streets, around 70% of people are in support of it.
“And whenever the zones are put in, support for them increases.
“A little bit slower, a whole lot better.”
Inverness councillor Duncan Macpherson is also pleased to see the local authority examining this issue.
He said: “Like many in Inverness, I’ve noticed lots of these surveys taking place.
“I look forward to seeing the findings when they’re published next year.”
A report on the roll-out of 20mph zones and other road safety initiatives will be published ahead of the next environment and infrastructure committee.
The next meeting is November 10.
Conversation