Public To Be Asked Views On Kessock Bridge Delays

9th October 2009

Public asked for views on measures to combat Kessock Bridge delays caused by resurfacing

The Highland Council's Black Isle members are holding a ward forum next month to invite comments from the public about the best ways to ease disruption that will result from the introduction of single-lane movement on the Kessock Bridge to accommodate resurfacing work, expected in 2011.

The meeting is being held between 6-8 pm on Thursday 12 November at Culbokie Primary School.

The work will be carried out by Scotland Transerv on behalf of Transport Scotland and invitations have been extended to both to be represented at the meeting.

Kessock Bridge, which opened in August 1982, carries a daily average of 28,300 vehicles per day, with this total rising to 32,000 in August. The surface on the long-span steel deck bridge is beginning to deteriorate rapidly and Transport Scotland say it is now necessary to intervene and carry out essential maintenance work.

The target date for the work to begin is March 2011. The safety of road users and road workers is of paramount importance and to allow works to proceed and ensure a quality, long lasting product, it will be necessary to close one carriageway to traffic and a contra flow will operate on the other carriageway. This will impact on traffic flows and discussions are already underway with the Council and other relevant bodies with a view to developing a strategy to minimise disruption and delays.

Assessments of traffic data and traffic modelling exercises are also being carried out with a view to identifying alternative travel plans. Discussions have also focused on the provision of park and ride, car sharing, dedicated bus lane, availability of alternative additional transport provision like ferry, bus or train.

The four Black Isle councillors - David Alston, Bill Barclay, Isobel McCallum and Craig Fraser - are eager that the public get involved in discussing measures which will best cope with the disruption of restricted movement across the bridge.

They see positives in the exercise and believe a legacy might be that more people in the future make greater use of public transport and car sharing.