Murd Dunbar has obtained figures from the Highland Council that show how the riverside paths have increased in popularity since the £50,000 upgrade to the surfaces. The Council instilled a sensor pad beneath the path near the Firhall Bridge several years ago.
2004 – 14884
2005 - 9465
2006 – 5542 (People counter was undercounting)
2007 – 14868
2008 – 33476 (New path opened in Feb of this year)
2009 – 22462
2005 - 9465
2006 – 5542 (People counter was undercounting)
2007 – 14868
2008 – 33476 (New path opened in Feb of this year)
2009 – 22462
This goes to show that even more members of the community have made use of the paths since the upgrage. As Councillor Graham Marsden said at the January meeting of the River Community Council (the one where there was a majority vote for Murd's improved access initiative), it doesn't make sense to improve the paths but stop at the bridge itself.
The Gurn feels the path figures would get another boost if those that can't get over the bridge at present were given the opportunity to do so.
3 comments:
Good grief, big brother is recording our every footstep now!
On a serious note I was sad to read the write up of the recent River CC meeting in todays Nairnshire where Murd's proposal was turned down by them.
I have every respect for the CC and all the work that they do but even without exact financial figures I would have thought they could have supported the idea at least in principle? After all, funding will come from outside Highland Council so is unlikely to impact on any other projects?
I'm a cyclist and have much enjoyed the upgraded river pathways. Making Firhall Bridge wider would also be much appreciated by myself
Agreed spoke, how anyone can be against better access to the bridge being on the wish list is beyond me.
The NRCC has often shown a reluctance in the past to provide a gateway to potential funding which may lie outwith the Highland Council and similar organisations.
Some of the reasoning behind this may be that there are already people employed within these organisations who should be carrying out this function. That may be the case but, unfortunately, the reality now is that a multi agency approach is often the only way to source funding and Community Councils, whether they agree with it or not, have to get on board and play the game as other Community Councils do.
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