The money spent on the brae was meant to make the area safer for pedestrians but this picture illustrates what now happens regularly. If a large vehicle is in the loading bay then quite often other lorries and vans have to mount the pavement to pass. The lorry in the bay had parked as close to the kerb as possible too. Quite often vehicles passing will not only be on the pavement but very clost to the fabric of buildings on the other side of the street. We've gurned about this before and wonder if one day part of this improvement will simply have to be ripped up and restored to the original layout?
The picture will enlarge (please note we have obscured any marks that would identify this lorry, it isn't the fault of the drivers, what are they supposed to do when they see that there isn't enough room to get by - reverse out onto the A96 and look for another route?)
Let's hope that the road will be left wide enough in other parts of the High Street to avoid this situation being repeated as the next phase of the streetscape gets started in the summer of 2010.
N.B. Previous Gurn article and comments about the Streetscape project here.
A very good illustration for the powers that be regarding the Brae !
ReplyDeleteHopefully they will all get onto their blaeberrys (if they know how to work them )and have a conflab about the next phase of money wasting mess...em streetscape 2010.
This current problem confirms that streetscaping which tries to reconcile the needs of pedestrians and vehicles ends up being a compromise which satisfies neither.
ReplyDeleteThere needs to be a bit of clear thinking on this. It isn't rocket science, or brain surgery. Options?
- pedestrianise the Brae completely; or
- narrow the entrance with bollards to prevent trucks turning in (with a sign directing them round to the alternative route into the High Street past the Seaforth Club); or
- get rid of all the parking 'spaces' on the Brae, and widen the pavements so that the road is single-track and vehicles cannot stop at all; or
- go back to narrow pavements and give road-width sufficient for one truck to pass another which is parked.
There are indeed lessons to be learned for the rest of the High Street. Cosmetic repaving will mean months of disruption and no significant improvement for either pedestrians or vehicles. A more radical redesign is needed. But don't hold your breath...
yea back too school on this one guys. some good lessons too be learnt from this photo. please take note before you start the job and before you blow the cash on other mess. time after time they do it why?
ReplyDeleteSAVE THE HIGHST _ STOP STREETSCAPE!!!!
ReplyDeletewhat would happen if the police came along at this moment. would the driver be charged for this? as i saw this happen in leapold street some time back a car went on the pavement and the police were not far behind the car and pulled him in at the rosebank church. are they still going too take away one of the parking bays in leapold street? perhaps some one can get on their blueberry and let us know
ReplyDeleteThe High Street is going to be much worse when they're finished the street scrape as they've got to get the new taxi and bus lane to get in as well.
ReplyDeleteIf we could only agree as to which side all the shops and buildings should be demolished on then we would have room for descent sized road through our High Street. This would be handy for folk trying to reach the new Sainsbury's
Just no intelligent planning, that's the real problem with Nairn
SAVE OUR HIGH ST - SHOP IN FORRES WHEN SAINSBURY"S OPENS
ReplyDeleteNairnbairn points out some sensible alternatives, the first of which is my preference. I would like to see the whole brae AND high street pedestrianised, with bollards that can be lowered to allow authorised vehicles and deliveries only. This would make Nairn a much more attractive town centre to the benefit of all.
ReplyDeleteIt would also help the environment by getting people out of their cars, and better for their health anyway. It would also stop this constant waste of money !
Does growtosow know the difference between a "blueberry & a blackberry" hmmmm..!
ReplyDeletea gardener or what..?
Seriously the brae should have been pedestrians and delivery's only - with bollards to line the delivery van/lorry's path..!
Sorted..!
yes i do know a blue berry from black berry. thanks and at the end of the day their is a lot of money being spent on this and not a lot of thinking behind it. less time on the blackberry and more on thinking of how its going too work for us all. sent from a granny smith
ReplyDeleteThe Streetscaping for the Brae and the High Street is a 'done' deal and no amount of gurn is going to have an affect on the outcome.
ReplyDeleteAt least money is being spent on Nairn which I'm sure many other towns would like to have had.
your right it is money being spent on nairn but is it going too make it any better? what about all the buildings that are left too fall too bits also some of the buildings on the high street could do with some attention. if we want visitor's too stay in our town it should be good enough too look at. and for our own townsfolk as well. looks like we are going too need some big teams one clearing snow one painting and one lot filling in the potholes.
ReplyDelete