It's some years since the road section of the Bailey bridge was closed to traffic. Pedestrians have enjoyed the extra space provided by the closed road section to cross the river and admire the scene. However, the road section of the bridge was closed to traffic due to structural concerns, but unless it receives a little attention soon it might be closed to pedestrians as well. The repair work needed at present is not that great, some planks scarfed into to repair a few rotting sections and some new fixings made here and there, a lick of wood preservative would not go amiss.
The pedestrian part of the bridge still looks OK to the naked eye, but it is very narrow and only allows single file traffic plus the joining bars of each section make it difficult to wheel a pram or a wheelchair. Any chance of a wee bit TLC for the bridge before winter sets in?
25 comments:
Poor old Bailey bridge, a bigger loss to our town than anything ever mention in the gurn, It still sickens me that it was lost to us.We had money for a fancy new community centre.
Anyone that wants to develop in Nairn should have been and should be made to pay something into a fund to restore it. What about the davidson trust money it was supposed to be for the good of the people of Nairn, maybe they could spare some cash at least for the repairs.
Before anyone else starts about the loss to the town of the Bailey Bridge, they should perhaps spare a thought for the poor souls who live in earshot of it.
Having done so for a few years when it was open to traffic I can count on one hand the number of decent nights sleep I got , as a result of the noise from the boy racers, as they spent each and every night ( and often all night) tearing across the bridge at stupid speeds .
The nature of the surface of the bridge meant that the noise was terrible and many an evening I was tempted to rearrange the headlights on some tooty wee ned's car with a 3" x 3" piece of timber.
Complaints to the Police at the time only resulted in a letter from the Inspector, telling me, without a hint of irony , that there wasn't a problem. He expanded a little by explaining the statement was made on the basis that no one complained.So that was just fine and dandy then, given that no one complained.
I personally fail to see how anyone could argue that re-opening a bridge would result in some economic utopia descending on Fishertown but I would equally agree that the structure of the bridge should be maintained for non-vehicular traffic , a purpose to which it is both perfectly suited and situated.
The bridge was there before any houses
If we are ever lucky enough to get the bridge open to traffic again it could be closed at both ends at ten pm and opened again at ten am, then no one would have to worry about boy racers. Some solutions are so simple they are overlooked.
I don't suppose the funds are there to restore it as a road bridge, but it would be a great shame if it were closed to pedestrians as well. It looks as though it only needs a little remedial work to make it perfectly serviceable again for a few more years
The boy racers now just flee down Harbour Street and either turn in the wider part of the road near the car wash or down at the harbour car park. The number of times I see male and female drivers (not always young either!) moving at great speed at the bottom of the road is unbelievable given the number of pedestrians around at the bottle bank, café, public loos, etc. Many with small children having emerged from the caravan park across the Bailey Bridge on foot. This is during daylight hours I might add, the area could do with some traffic calming BEFORE there's an accident or a kiddy is killed...
In that area indeed it is not only some younger drivers that should take more care. This observer has seen older drivers behave badly too. Drivers please slow down in that area because lots of folk do go to and fro there in careefree holiday mode perhaps not aware of the traffic that comes and goes too. Maybe it is time for a 20 limit in that area too?
There was some talk at one time of a calming feature like the set-up just on the edge of town at the Grantown Road. Perhaps it is time to reconsider that suggestion.
I confess I thought the building of flats at the Shambles would lead to so much congestion at the Bridgemill Direct Junction on the A96, the restoration of the Bailey Bridge to accomodate cars would inevitably follow. Maybe I am wrong but the anticipated chaos feared by many, myself included, at the trunk road has, in my view, not materialised. We are often quick to take a pop at planners but perhaps those prophets of doom should hold their hands up and admit we were wrong.
I would ask those that have advocated the reopening of the bridge to traffic why they are so entrenched in that view. There are clearly benefits for local residents in Harbour Street since it closed. And surely there is great potential for developing this amenity into a really attractive pedestrian access to be enjoyed by young and old alike free of cars with lighting, floral baskets and other enhancements. The council would find themselves really pressure if they did try to swing the axe on the bridge completelty. Look forward. This bridge has great potential and could be a real asset to this part of the harbour experience for visitors and local people. Donald Wilson.
I like the idea of keeping the bridge as a pedestrian crossing so hope that the council will see fit to repair it. Donald's ideas for enhancing the bridge also seem good, not sure about the lighting idea if it's the same as the bridge in Inverness that's all the colours of a rainbow, but a few street lights, flower tubs, and benches would be good
On the question of benches could we have a bench suggestion box on the Gurn? There is one that irks me every time I see it on Mill Road. The bench in question has a fine view of the electricity sub station and I've yet to see anyone sat on it. I would suggest that it gets moved to the end of the west pier as a bench there would be appreciated for days when I manage to walk to the end of the pier. I'm sure it would't cost too much to move a bench?
The reason there is not the congestion at the bridgemill direct junction that people thought there would be is because a lot less locals use the east beach. It's no where near as busy as it was before the bridge was closed. Why should we so concerned about what visitors want. The car park at the far end used to be packed,now it's just the odd dog walker.. People don,t want to have the bother of coming up by bridgemill .......out to that busy road.....ask a few people what they think ..I have never met anyone who doesn,t want the bridge back to the way it was, well not locals. A lot of people don,t realise how important it was to us.
The bench you mention is a bit hard to fathom Oldie, it's also very damp in the area around that seat.
Perhaps a move could be arranged by Highland Council?
Yes I've never understood as to why that bench was put there, maybe they had a few spare one day and that was a space they found. A move would be great though
As for keeping the bridge closed, well I'm local so anonymous am I really the first one against it being reopened? Anything that keeps traffic down is a boon if you ask me, especially if it stops the young loons who just used it for circuits in their boy racer cars
I'm with you Oldie, opening the Bailey bridge to traffic would be a step back to the racing circuit and the bad old days !
Donald has the right idea too, much could be done to improve the area generally, like lighting along the east riverside path from the bailey bridge to Merryton bridge as well.
Whilst we're on ideas for the area I've often wondered if a few curb stones could be placed at the top of the harbour to create a path between the sea wall and where cars park? This would allow pedestrians to walk in front of the parked cars and could be linked to the path running along the bankie. It would mean folk wouldn't have to dodge cars reversing and turning
Jogged along Mill Road and back down the riverside to the harbour via Jubilee Bridge tonight Joe. Beautiful evening and I agree wholeheartedly about lighting to connect the Bailey bridge to the Sewerage Bridge. It would complete a lovely fully lit evening walk. I have never supported lighting of the promenade and never will. That would spoil its natural beauty and be tantamount to vandalism. Again I like many others questioned the spend on widening the promenade path. But tonight it brought home to me what a good investment this was. Much more even surface and the extra width provides safer footfall for the more energetic out for some evening exercise in an area that should never be lit other than by illumination nature can provide.
This an extract from mail i received when I tried to get a ramp installed for all who cannot negotiate the steps at the Firhall at the estimate cost of £31.000
The Council has recently moved away from determining Capital investment priorities at an individual Service level. Instead Capital investment priorities are now determined corporately and are informed by a “business case” template model which is completed in respect of each proposed investment. Each business case is considered on merits and how it fits in with the priorities of the Highland Council. The Highland Council approves the Capital investment priorities for the next 3 years on this basis with proposals for the following 3 year period identified at the same time.
2. It should also be highlighted that the Council’s overall Capital investment programme has been adversely affected by the restrictions on Capital borrowing arsing from the reductions in public sector finances. On this basis the Capital programme has been reduced in value.
The funding previously available to
the Planning and Economic Development Service for core path development and upgrades to Highland Council properties is no longer available as a result of the above changes.
MURD
Aye Donald I would agree about light pollution in the wrong place, such as the links promenade.
The installation of lighting between the merryton and bailey bridges would indeed complete the lovely river walk, with the heavy trees it's a bit too dark and foreboding for some.
It's worth paying attention to Murd's comment. If anyone wants anything more than a few planks fixed on the bridge - such as a string of lights then you'd better go along to your Highland Councillors with a funding package. That is to say come up with something that will attract funding or find a way to screw it out of a developer such as the twisting Sainsbury's arm behind their back to get five sets of traffic lights method.
Des and Murd I take your point. Maybe you could get River Community Council to include the lighting as part of the river enhancements, or funding on the grounds of safety / crime prevention ? Or tourism improvements, with all the caravan site tourists using this pathway ?
I was under the impression that when the new maggot flats were being built, that lighting would have been installed along that part of the river to accomodate the extra usage that was created.
Lighting might even reduce the amount of anti social beahaviour and dog poop along that stretch too.
The only option on the Highland Council seems to be cutbacks in street lighting. Here's something from one of their web pages:
"Councillors agree street lighting pilot (23/09/10)
The Highland Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, has agreed to consult with local communities to identify appropriate areas for trialing energy reduction options for street lighting.
They have also agreed development guidelines that street lighting is only required in new residential areas with more than 15 properties.
The results of a recent budget consultation highlighted a strong preference for turning off every second light, followed by turning off some street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am, and dimming street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am. There is very little support for turning off all street lights between 12 midnight and 6 am, and in reality this could not happen due to the need to provide lighting in areas with CCTV.
In order to fully assess the impact of the options, the Council proposes to carry out trials to assess the reaction from the local community, and the level of savings achieved.
Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the TEC Services Committee said: “Public safety is of primary concern. We are going to consult with local communities and the Police to agree the most appropriate options in terms of reducing energy consumption. It is intended to identify a trial area in each Ward in order to provide information for both urban and rural communities. It may well be that different options are preferred for different communities. It is important that the trial areas are monitored to ensure that there is no increase in crime or road traffic accidents.” "
This observer believes that Highland Council are seeking a "pilot" area in Nairn. Perhaps more information will come into the public domain soon.
If every street lamp had a small solar panel on top of it and a light sensor they could charge up during the day and light up at night, no cabling, no mains electric... amazed that they don't already exist!
Closing a road or bridge should not be the solution to unsocial behaviour from a small minority of drivers. There are more pro-active approaches which can be taken.
Hi Anon, That's the sort of innovation that the country needs. Probably no profit in it for the electric supply companies...hence the reason we are unikely to see them !
Unfortunately cheap (and it has to be cheap) and reliable technology isn't quite with us yet. It's close, but not quite there.
But the police could provide effective patrols in the Harbour area to stamp out anti-social behaviour. After all they have a nice new police station to plan initiatives from. Oh wait a minute no they can't! Nowadays Nairn police is no longer 24/7 365 days a year. More like two day shifts a week. A sad indication on where crime levels and anti-social behaviour (like the boy racers) may lead to if not managed and kept in check.
Althought the reception desk at the police station is no longer manned after a certain time in the evening the station itself is still 24/7 and there has been no reduction in manpower. This observer feels that the Nairn Poilis have done quite a lot in recent years to keep things like bairns boozing under control especially in the town centre.
If anyone has any issues to raise with the police an opportunity usually arises at Community Councils in the town where you can ask questions etc of either Sgt Olga Hansen or one of her colleagues.
Yes we might have one or two problems but compared to other areas of the Country then here we are living in Disneyland.The figures for the numbers of crimes solved are regularly given out at CC meetings and millions of people can only dream of living in such a community as this. If we want to keep it that way or even improve on things then we all have a part to play, not just the police.
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