Works on the River Ness Flood Scheme switch to Bank Street in the New Year

The focus of work on the River Ness Flood Scheme in Inverness switches from Huntly Street to Bank Street when work resumes after the festive break.
From 10 am on Monday 6 January, Bank Street - between Fraser Street and Friars Street – will be closed to all traffic, apart from the emergency vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, waste management vehicles and those requiring access to properties. 

Taxis and service buses only will be diverted into and out of the city centre via Fraser Street under traffic light control during this closure.   It is stressed that businesses remain very much `open for business` throughout the duration of these works with full pedestrian access maintained.

The closure is needed to accommodate drainage and preparatory works for piling on Bank Street.  In November, piling works switched from Bank Street to Huntly Street after large rock cobbles were found, which prevented the installation of the piles.  The sheet piling has now been completed in Huntly Street ahead of schedule and  a design solution has now been found for Bank Street allowing work to resume.

The main focus of works on Huntly Street in January will be drainage works between Celt Street and Wells Street. These works will be clear of the carriageway therefore normal traffic flow will continue throughout Huntly Street.

Meanwhile, tenders for the second phase of the River Ness Flood Scheme, which will provide flood defences on both sides of the river between Friars Bridge and the harbour have now been submitted and the contract will be awarded early in the New Year.