Dick Youngson told the meeting of the Suburban CC on Wednesday night that he wrote to Highland Council’s William Gillfinnan on the behalf of the town’s three Community Councils talking about not only the 18 tonne restriction on the White Bridge but really about the impact it is going to have on all the B-class and unclassified roads.
He said: “because none of them around Nairn are really safe roads for heavy goods vehicles let along cars doing a rat run trying to get where they want quicker.”
Dick was worried about pedestrians and cyclists that couldn’t get onto the verges to escape traffic on these roads. He stated: “our whole road system has to be reviewed.
Liz then said: “There has been a design drawn up for alternative routes for the White Bridge and that will be coming to PDI* and there will also be a report coming to Community Services which is the Roads and Transport Committee on the 5th of November. Hopefully we can move it forward and then there is another meeting scheduled for the support group for the White Bridge. So there is a lot happening in the background and there are reports being drawn up.”
Dick then said: “No matter what is drawn up all our roads are still unsafe. They are really not fit for this type of diversion or transport or use the whole lot have to be looked at again. That’s no easy task.”
*Local government jargon for Planning, Development and Infrastructure.
I fully agree with Dick's comments about the safety of our roads, a pity his concerns weren't addressed
ReplyDeleteThe problem with alternative routes to the White bridge is that it's already an alternative route for many people trying to avoid the appalling traffic situation on the A96 through Nairn caused by the traffic lights, although I realise that some people don't think we have a traffic issue in Nairn
As for 'drawing up a design' you just have to look at a map to realise we don't have that many roads that traffic can divert to, and those such as the A96 are already heavily used. Seems a pointless exercise other than to stall the issue
I come back to the A96. If the issues of traffic flow through Nairn were addressed I'm sure less people would use the back roads and therefore they would be marginally safer for all road users including pedestrians, but it seems no one wants to truly address the problem other than to say we need a bypass. Why?
This angers me a great deal. Why does it take a White Bridge closure for people to start wondering about pedestrians and cyclists on the "new" route - how about the years of problems we have had on the existing routes out of Nairn , the White Bridge and the "unofficial bypass" included - how have we as pedestrians and cyclists been able to cope on these roads, with no paths or cycle lanes at all- try and walk from Cawdor to Clephanton at 5pm - try and walk from Cawdor to anywhere at 5pm - all grass verged extremely fast A and B roads totally unfit for the traffic on it, without any speed controls or enforcement (despite a number of those black-wire surverys telling them what speeds drives go at)
ReplyDeleteNo one cared about it when White Bridge was fine - and now suddenly its an issue - does the plan 'B' routes go close to a Councillors house by any chance?
Community Council warning - "Run for the Hills"; "Apocalypse Now"; "War of the Worlds" - and its all the fault of the Highland Council - again and again and again.
ReplyDeletePoor, poor Nairn - under fire again from the GlenUrquart Road Klingons.
"I'm giving Nairn all we've got, Captain! But ... the Dilithium crystals can't take much more of this ..."
We are all doomed I tells ye ......................
Which traffic lights would folk want rid of? Remember people are using them so they must need them. I know that drivers will say ...while sitting comfortably in their cars....people should walk further to cross the roads.....why should pedestrians suffer for the good of traffic.
ReplyDelete