West Link Road; Inverness Courier reveals recomendation

More here

Option Six has been picked today by Highland councillors as the possible new route for the much awaited Inverness by-pass.

The decision, made by a Highland Council working group, described as the most vital in Inverness for 20 years, will move the project step closer.


(Map link here)

Inverness Courier reports "...bypass route set to be decided"

From Courier e page here;

A MONUMENTAL decision - described as the most vital in Inverness for 20 years – will be made tomorrow, as Highland councillors pick their preferred option for the long-awaited bypass.

The cross-party working group meets for the last time to select their favoured route out of the three remaining options to cross the River Ness and Caledonian Canal and link the A82, A9 and A96 trunk roads.

Crunch talks will start at 2pm and the final decision is expected to be announced soon afterwards.

The favoured option to relieve heavy traffic congestion in the city will be recommended to Highland Council for approval when it meets on 1st March.

The talks will again be held behind closed doors.

No doubt more in the paper tomorrow

So that's it then, to all intents and purposes the decision is made

THC Press Release

Following a presentation on the responses to the second public consultation for the Inverness West Link, and the pooortunity (sic) to discuss feedback from the Inverness Trunk Link Road (West Link) Working Group held on the 27 January, members of the Inverness City Committee have had a chance to provide their views on the options under consideration.

After a debate during The Highland Council’s City Committee in Inverness Town House on Monday (13 February)  members agreed a statement expressing their views.

The statement reads:

“In view of the urgent and extreme importance of the West Link Road to Inverness and the Highlands, the Inverness City Committee urges The Highland Council to make an early decision to determine a route for the project, within the life of this council.

“In selecting a preferred route, the Council should attach priority to achieving the earliest possible satisfactory completion of the Link Road, with the funding that is realistically attainable for that purpose.

“In finalising the funding and planning arrangements for the project, the Council must give explicit and binding commitment that there will be an improvement in the extent and quality of recreation provision in the West of the city.”

The statement will be forwarded to the Working Group who are due to meet again in Inverness on Friday 17 February.  Web page here

Details of the Inverness City Committee Meetings can be found here; details of membership here and remit here

Fancy being an Election Candidate; help is at hand

Extract below from THC web site; link to page with more details and dates here

'Prospective candidates at the forthcoming Highland Council elections on 3 May 2012 and their agents are being invited to attend one of a series of 6 awareness briefing sessions being held by the Returning Officer, Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of The Highland Council.

The election will be called on Tuesday 13 March and candidates have until 4 pm on Thursday 29 March to lodge their nominations.

Topics to be covered at the awareness sessions will be the nomination procedure, the election timetable, the issuing of poll cards, postal ballot packs, candidate’s spending limits, and what is involved in being a councillor.'