Inverness Central and Inverness West Joint Ward Forum
Council Chambers, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness
Thursday 19th May 2011
Attendance:
Cllr Alex Graham (Chair) Highland Council
Cllr Alasdair Christie Highland Council
Cllr Pauline Munro Highland Council
Cllr Bet McAllister Highland Council
Cllr Janet Campbell Highland Council
Cllr Peter Corbett Highland Council
Cllr Donnie Kerr Highland Council
Cllr John Holden Highland Council
Bob Mitchell Transport Scotland, Area Manager North
Richard Evans Highland Council TEC Services, Area Manager
Hugh Logan Highland Council TEC Services, Senior Engineer
Steve Walker Stagecoach Highland, Managing Director
Stewart Wardlaw Highland Council, Ward Manager
May Smith Ballifeary CC
V Rothnie Ballifeary CC
Joan Stewart Ballifeary CC
George D Greig Inverness West CC
F D MacWilliams Inverness West CC
George Hawco Inverness West CC
Christina Carr Resident Royal Ness Court
Anna McMullen Resident Royal Ness Court
Neil Hornsby Westhill CC
Donald Boyd Westhill CC
C M Forbes Muirtown CC
A Paterson Member of the Public (Bught)
Jane MacBean Culcabock & Drakies
A Duffy SNP HCLC
Actions
Transport and Traffic Management
Glenurquhart Road by Ballifeary Road junction
No proposed actions by Transport Scotland at this time. The level of pedestrian crossing movements did not justify a formal crossing at this location
Ardross Street Junction
No action proposed by Transport Scotland. Following discussions a proposal for a raised table at the junction was discussed. Bob Mitchell thought it might be feasible and agreed to discuss this with Highland Council.
Glenurquhart Road/Kenneth Street/Young Street junction
No action proposed by Transport Scotland. The consensus of the meeting was that there was a need for a formal pedestrian crossing at some point along Glenurquhart Road whether this was funded by Transport Scotland, Highland Council or a joint venture. There were 3 schools whose catchments required pupils to cross Glenurquhart Road at some point as well as the many businesses that bound this busy thoroughfare and other important destinations such as medical practices.
It was agreed that there would be a joint initiative between Transport Scotland & Highland Council to come up with a solution. A location between Planefield Road & Montague Row was suggested as an appropriate point for such a crossing. There was also reference to a clearly expressed community wish for a crossing in the area between Bishops Road and Ballifeary Lane junctions.
Transport Scotland did not have any objections to Highland Council funding a crossing on the trunk road but would need to agree any proposals before they could proceed.
Stagecoach
There were various comments on the level and reliability of the service offered by Stagecoach. Steve Walker stated that Stagecoach had external evidence that services were not performing badly and were more reliable now than a year ago. Steve highlighted the challenge of shaking off a bad reputation, citing an incident of vandalism that affected a service through no fault of Stagecoach, but for which the company was criticised. Other Forum participants, including some Councillors, commented that Stagecoach had indeed made progress. Steve agreed to consider any requests to vary a service route or the timings (including the No.3 service, to loop around Highfield) but pointed out that this could have repercussions from users whose route had been altered. Steve was developing, with Cllr Campbell, a weekend service to Kilvean Cemetery.
Traffic calming proposals
It was agreed to go ahead with the distribution of consultation leaflets outlining the 20’s Plenty speed limit proposals for Maxwell Drive, Smith Avenue, Park Road and Lindsay Avenue and barring any objections, proceed with the scheme. The scheme is to be funded from the Inverness West Ward Discretionary Budget. It was agreed to do before and after monitoring of speeds to determine the effects of the scheme. Central Ward Members agreed to discuss implementing 20mph schemes at a future Ward Business Meeting.
Written Comments Received;
1. More questions to be allowed from Community Councillors
(Response from Stewart Wardlaw)
We would hope that during the course of a Ward Forum, which normally lasts for up to 2 hours, that all participants have an opportunity to contribute to the discussion. This includes not only Community Councillors and Highland Councillors (local Ward Councillors are expected to take a leading role) but also members of the public and the business community, representatives of other organisations such as the police and fire service and any invited guests.
2. Please, please get a crossing on Glenurquhart Road before someone is killed. I have missed several buses trying to cross this road opposite Council Buildings
(Response from Stewart Wardlaw)
This issue will hopefully be addressed by the action noted above.
3. What about a shelter at Marks & Spencers? We have to stand in rain, hail etc while our friends opposite are in a shelter and have a seat. Do they pay more Council Tax than we do?
(Response from Neil Young, TEC Services, Highland Council)
There aren’t any plans for a shelter to be installed at Marks and Spencers. There will however be a shelter installed at Farmfoods in the near future. It has been purchased and is awaiting installation. There will be a seat within the shelter.
4. Need a bus stop opposite Morning, Noon & Night on Glenurquhart Road.
(Response from Neil Young, Transport Officer - Information and Infrastructure, Highland Council)
Bus stops are adequately spaced out on both sides of Glenurquhart Road. The site requested is between 2 junctions and also is opposite a junction, so there may not be a suitable location. It will be looked at though.
5. Why no Bus Service to Inverness Leisure Centre? I have to walk there along Ness Walk – Bus on Glenurquhart road not convenient. Why did Stagecoach take away service #1 to Retail Park – along Glenurquhart Road going direct to Tesco? Now we have to take No 3 and then change at Town Centre.
(Response from Steve Walker)
Effectively the service to the leisure centre was withdrawn due to the exceptionally low passenger numbers. In terms of the changes to services to the Retail Park, this followed the consultation exercise we undertook. What we wanted to do was simplify the network and make the services into the town as frequent as possible. This meant the service along Glenurquhart Road and Kinmylies move from half hourly to every 20 mins. It was also felt that the link to the hospital would be better received and that people could transfer onto the frequent service 5 to the Retail Park if they wished this option.
6. Recycling – when are we going to get more recycling eg plastic milk bottles, juice bottles etc. Electric items – old kettles, toasters, printers. Computers etc. – (In our building people put glass bottles, plastics, wine bottles, toasters, furniture items etc.
(Response from Alan McKinnie, Operations Manager (Waste), Highland Council)
The Council is currently rolling out throughout the Highland areas an alternate weekly bin collection service. For the Inverness area this will happen early 2012. At that time your blue recycling box will be replaced with a blue wheeled bin for recycling paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, food tins and drink cans. The bin will be collected on alternate weeks to your green wheeled bin.
At this time we do not plan expand our kerbside collection to Glass bottles or Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Weee), however glass can be recycled at any of our recycling points; all weee including small electrical items and computers can be recycled at the recycling centre.
Items that can be recycled within the Henderson Drive Recycling centre are:
• Batteries - all household batteries
• Books
• Cans
• Car batteries
• Cardboard
• CDs - music, computer games & DVDs
• Engine oil
• Fluorescent light tubes, standard & energy efficient light bulbs
• Fridges & Freezers
• Furniture
• Garden waste
• Gas cylinders
• Glass bottles & Jars
• Handbags & Shoes
• Monitors & TVs
• Paper
• Plastic bottles
• Rubble & Soil
• Scrap Metal
• Textiles
• Tyres
• WEEE - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
• White goods
• Wood