Views
Speed up the by-pass! - for The Inverness Courier
THE publication of HiTrans draft transport strategy for the Highlands and Islands has focussed attention on that body’s role, and the influence it will have in persuading the Scottish Executive about the funding priorities for our area.
Given the huge variety of transport issues across the Highlands, HiTrans has a complex job to do.
The people of the Highlands now have until the end of January 2007 to give their views on the strategy, and say what they regard as the priorities. I hope people in Inverness will take this opportunity, and will join me in arguing that a much higher priority needs to be given to completing the Inverness Trunk Road Link — bypass is probably a better word.
Given the city’s fast growth — which is expected to continue — Inverness faces a complex array of transport problems. We need a much better public transport system — bus and rail — to take the pressure off the roads, and that needs to be planned now to keep ahead of the growth rather than playing catch-up.
But the congestion problems that we face today mean that completing the bypass is not something that can be put on the back burner. This is important not just to Inverness, but to the rest of the Highlands as the bypass will link together the A9, A96 and A82 — the three major routes for our region.
At the moment, work on this vital link is scheduled in the HiTrans strategy to take place between 2012 and 2017. I do not believe we should wait that long.
Much of the debate about this route has so far centred on funding. I was delighted when, a couple of weeks ago, transport minister Tavish Scott told the Courier: “Inverness is often highlighted as Europe's fastest growing city and it needs the transport infrastructure to go along with that. The important aspect of this road, in terms of how we can find a way to take it forward, is that it must be a key priority for HiTrans. We will be very heavily influenced in spending terms by the strategies of the regional transport partnerships.”
Over the last few years, Tavish Scott and his predecessor Nicol Stephen have delivered significant investment in the Highlands. The huge growth of Inverness airport is in part due to the decision to buy-back the airport PFI.
If we are going to keep the pressure on to get work started on this vital link for the future of our city, it is important that HiTrans is part of that process. The Highland Council has an important role to play in bringing forward precise plans for the road, and that must happen sooner rather than later. This project will happen if there is a genuine partnership between local, regional, and national authorities and so I hope that as many people as possible will return the “Speed up the Bypass” postcards that are being distributed at the moment.
Posted on: 05/12/2006
