Inverness councillors have supported retaining the controversial Spaces for People scheme in principle, but voted to ditch some of most unpopular sections.
The issue has divided public opinion almost as much as it has divided the roads.
An “ill thought-out” one-way system along Castle Street was decisively binned by members of the Inverness city committee today.
But measures along Academy Street will stay – with a few tweaks.
A one-way system on Riverside Way will also remain, after a close 10-9 vote in its favour.
More information on that route will be brought to a future committee.
A pivotal moment for the city?
In what was described by officers as a “pivotal moment” for the city, members were asked to retain the temporary measures and implement traffic management orders to enforce them.
Officers highlighted that the National Transport Strategy prioritises active travel over private cars, and the council itself has declared a climate emergency.
If the Spaces for People scheme was thrown out, officers warned that the council would suffer significant reputational damage and lose out on millions of pounds of investment.
However, most members agreed that while a long-term strategy is welcome, the changes were unpopular and in some cases unsafe.
Are members prioritising Facebook comments over policies?
The debate hinged on whether the current interventions should be tolerated for a bit longer, to give officers time to secure long-term funding.
Turning first to Academy Street, SNP councillor Emma Knox urged members “not to throw the baby out with the bath water”.
As a councillor with disabilities herself, she acknowledged that the temporary changes are not working, saying that she struggles to navigate Academy Street safely.
However, Mrs Knox’s amendment supported the Spaces for People programme generally, while proposing the council work with disability groups on alternative temporary measures.
Her views were echoed by her group colleague Emma Roddick, who said that it was a waste of time and energy to throw out the temporary measures now, just as officers had started to secure permanent funding.
She urged the committee not to “prioritise cars over people and Facebook comments over policies”.
“You don’t decide not to build your house because you don’t like the look of the scaffolding,” she added.
‘A confusing clutter of cones’
However, arguments against the measures were also made by councillor Andrew Jarvie, himself a wheelchair user, and councillor Bill Boyd.
Mr Jarvie said that having tried the interventions himself at the weekend, he couldn’t see “any justification at all” for retaining the scheme.
He added that change is good, but this was not the right change.
Mr Boyd said that most of the emails arriving in his inbox showed support for the principle of change, but that the funding could be spent more wisely.
“We must listen to the public,” he said. “What we have now is a confusing clutter of cones because we are not thinking strategically.
“We need bold moves, not tinkering.”
While council leader Margaret Davidson urged members to stay the course, councillor Ron MacWilliam slammed a lack of political leadership in articulating a long-term plan.
This assertion was challenged by Malcolm Macleod, executive chief officer for infrastructure, environment and economy, who reminded members that the council has a series of strategic documents including an active travel masterplan.
A close vote and a ‘cluster bourach’
The discussion around the one-way system in Riverside Way centred on the level of consultation with the local community, which councillors acknowledged was “vehemently opposed” to the scheme.
Following reassurance from officers that more community consultation would take place and changes considered, provost Helen Carmichael’s motion to keep the measures won 10-9 against an amendment by councillor Alex Graham to throw it out.
There was far more unity in the discussion around the one-way system in Castle Street.
Several councillors shared anecdotes about the unsuitability of the scheme.
Having branded the Academy Street measures a “huge bourach” councillor Duncan Macpherson upgraded the Castle Street interventions to a “cluster bourach” and asked members to let common sense prevail.
Transport planner Shane Manning issued a pointed response, directing councillors to “data that is not made up”.
Mr Jarvie’s motion to abandon the one-way system passed by 12 votes to eight.
When will we see changes?
On Millburn Road, councillor Ken Gowans tabled a successful amendment to retain the cycle lane from the Morrisons crossing to the Eastgate underpass and revert the rest to road, while exploring options for the addition of a pedestrian crossing.
Provost Helen Carmichael thanked members for the polite nature of the debate, which lasted for more than four hours.
Invenessians should not expect to see drastic changes overnight though, with officers warning that it would take up to 14 weeks to deliver on members’ decisions.