Councillors to decide on future of 'Spaces For People' project in Inverness
Council officers are urging members of the Inverness area committee to keep changes made to Castle street, Academy street and Riverside Way.
It's being described as a "pivotal moment" for Inverness city centre.
Highland councillors will discuss today whether to make the temporary "Spaces for People" project permanent.
The measures, which include extended areas for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users, were brought in to help re-enforce social distancing.
Council officers are now urging members of the Inverness area committee to keep changes made to Castle street, Academy street and Riverside Way.
They're suggesting changes to measures put in on Millburn Road.
A report on the matter says Spaces for People has given Highland Council "unprecedented experience of reallocating road space to a wider range of transport modes, beyond motor vehicles."
However, another petition calls for the changes to be kept, but with some areas altered.
Limitations on "very packed city"
Inverness Business Improvement District Manager, Mike Smith, says there’s been a lot of objection from Castle Street businesses to the plans.
He said: “It’s been very bad for the businesses there.
“The feel they have been marginalised, the fundamental of what they’re saying is that they depend on people coming here and so many people have been telling them they’re not now coming because it’s not easy to do so.
“We don’t see the value of the Millburn Road changes.
“The proposal is to reduce it to half the distance which in our view achieves nothing.
"The cycling lane is not being used."
He says there’s aspects of the Spaces for People project they agree with, but there’s limitations.
He added: “Yes you can expand the pavements, we’re all in the favour of that.
“But it’s accommodating expanding pavements and cycling routes at the same time, for what is a very packed city.
“This is not Edinburgh, this is not Birmingham, this is not Oslo."
Reverting to previous design is "not an acceptable outcome"
Cycling UK Senior Development Officer, Brendan Dougan, from Inverness, says keeping certain changes will "make positive and lasting changes for people".
He said: “Amidst profound national crises of rising covid cases, inactivity, obesity, air quality and the climate emergency, steps to safely encourage, walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas should be promoted.
“Local politicians should be bold in their actions for the benefit of both current habitants and future generations.
“Evidence clearly shows that urban design has a huge part to play in encouraging people to adopt these health promoting forms of transport."
Brendan also says some changes to the current measures are required, but going back to how the streets looked before Spaces for People is not an option.
He added: "Even though some temporary measures may require some rethinking and amended design, the Council should be working towards making the city centre more welcoming for those travelling actively.
“This should be done using existing evidence rather than hearsay and by working closely with all affected groups.
“Simply reverting to the previous design which overwhelmingly favours motorised vehicles is not an acceptable outcome and one which compounds these crises we all face."