How Nairn got all the traffic lights - and with more developments planned, time for a new and up to date traffic study to consider these?

The Gurn has been reminded of the detailed study produced by West CC in 2011 (available here) about the questionable way in which the extra traffic lights were introduced as part of the Sainsburys' development. [It has been suggested to us that the expert studies which recommended the extra lights were deeply flawed and never properly scrutinised]. With the congestion problems still not fully resolved, and three new applications for retail and housing development on the east side of Nairn, it seems essential that a new and up to date traffic study of the cumulative impact of these proposals be carried out. This provides the obvious opportunity to further simplify and reduce the traffic lights system, to look at options for better access to Lochloy, and to improve other junctions such as Waverley/Manse Road and Sandown Farm Lane.

Nairn by night Janauary 2014 

The West CC report contends additional traffic lights were never required or justified as part of the Sainsburys' development and it was only because the goalposts were moved and projected development at Sandown was included in the overall evaluation that the lights were justified.  

This observer remembers a few Community Council meetings from those days and what was striking was how little our then Highland Councillors seemed to know about what was going on and how powerless they seemed to be do anything to stop the lights. And recently of course one set of lights were removed but it took 7 years for that to happen, politicians at a higher level don't seem to have the capacity to move swiftly either. 

Please have a read of the West CC document from 2011 if you get a chance this weekend.