New coach parking area opens in Inverness
A new daytime parking area in Inverness, to accommodate coach parties dropping off and picking up passengers, comes into operation on Monday 29 April.
Eight parking bays on Ardross Street (on the Northern Meeting Park-side of the road) will be used between 10 am – 5 pm to accommodate tourist/cruise-liner coaches.
The bays will replace those on Union Street, Church Street, and Huntly Street which are no longer available due to works progressing on the River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme. They will also reduce indiscriminate parking in the city centre and the Ness Bank area, which can cause disruption to traffic movement.
The introduction of the coach parking requires removal of the pay and display bays along the full length of Ardross Street.
A Temporary Traffic Order (until 31 October 2014) has been published to confirm the arrangements. It is important to note that this will be the only official drop-off / pick-up area in Inverness. If coaches are found to be using other areas, they are liable to be moved on by the Traffic Wardens.
The order is specific in stating that Ardross Street may not be used as an overnight Coach park. To facilitate this between 5pm and 10am coaches will be limited to up to 2 hours maximum stay. The D&E Coach Park at the Longman should be used for any coaches staying overnight.
Councillor Ian Brown, Leader of The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee, said: “The benefits of using Ardross Street are that it is easy to locate and access from all trunk roads; it is within easy walking distance of the city centre and attractions; and it is close to refreshment and toilet facilities in Eden Court.
“Inverness is a hub for tourists. By improving the city’s status as a place to visit, we will attract more coach operators and also bring significant benefit to adjacent attractions such as Loch Ness and Culloden.”
He said the experience of the summer usage of Ardross Street will be evaluated to establish if it is a suitable long-term solution.