Spring 2012 start for new Dingwall road
New road will ease traffic outside famous butchers
A LONG-RUNNING bid to build a new link road in Dingwall to alleviate congestion on residential streets has taken a major step forward by reaching the public consultation stage.
The road, which is expected to begin construction next spring, would connect the west side of the town to the ring road in front of Dingwall Academy, taking traffic away from Mill Street and Burn Place, currently prone to bottle-necks.
Mill Street is currently the main route for motorists travelling to and from Strathpeffer and the housing schemes and business parks in the west end of Dingwall — but on-street parking and high traffic volumes regularly cause snarl-ups.
Local councillor Margaret Paterson, who has fought for the new road link for several years, says she’s delighted that the Dingwall Kinnairdie Link Road project is nearing the planning stage.
Highland Council announced this week that it is conducting a planning pre-application consultation on the proposal to construct a new road to link the A834 Strathpeffer Road at the Dochcarty Road junction with the A862 relief road at Dingwall Academy.
The proposed project is to be undertaken in two phases with work on the £1million first phase, near Dingwall Academy, set to start next spring.
Town residents will be able to view the plans during a public display at Dingwall Academy later this month.
Included in the proposals are improvements for the busy road junction at the end of the High Street outside the County Buildings.
The project comprises the construction of just under a kilometre of carriageway and footways and cycle ways, as well as improvements to the County Buildings’ junction.
This will include earthworks, drainage, structures, public utility services diversions, street lighting, landscaping, signing, road marking and accommodation works.
To mitigate against flood risk concerns, a flood protection bund is included in the project proposals which is to be constructed adjacent to the existing bund at the Dingwall Business Park.
Councillor Paterson told the Journal that Dingwall had grown so fast in recent years creating the need for the new road to cope with the large amount of traffic.
She said the main point of the link would be to enable traffic to avoid Mill Street which had been an area of concern for some time.
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She said, “It is a very narrow road with houses built in such a way that there is no access or parking at the back, which means people have to park at the front on Mill Street which causes problems, particularly with children trying to cross the road to get to school.”
Mill Street is also the location of an award-winning butcher shop which is famous for its haggis and often attracts buses full of tourists, which can add to the traffic problems.
“The last thing we want to do is stop people from going in to get their haggis, that is what Dingwall is known for and some people come here particularly for their haggis,” said the councillor.
“I am delighted we are going to get this. It will make a big difference,” she said.
A public display of the project proposals will be held at Dingwall Academy on Friday 27 May from 9.30am until 8pm.
Information can be obtained from Friday 27 May from the home page of The Highland Council’s web site: www.highland.gov.uk or from the TEC Services, Project Design Unit, Osprey House, Alness Point Business Park, Alness, IV17 0UP. Opening Hours 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Anyone wishing to comment on the proposal should write to Mr JA Smith at the address above or alternatively, submit their comments online at www.highland.gov.uk
