Reopening Inverness’s riverside early to help ease traffic problems caused by the Academy Street fire has been ruled out.
Highland Council had considered reopening Bank Street to traffic as one way of easing queues caused by the closure of Academy Street following last week’s fire.
But the authority has said this will not happen because unduly delay the completion of the flood alleviation works and seriously affect bus timetables.
At present public transport and emergency vehicles are allowed to use part of Bank Street, although the area is closed to general traffic.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “Opening up Bank Street would have increased traffic flow and impact on the bus timetables without any considerable benefit.
“The fire impact was considered and taking into account the priority to get the flood works finished, the option of opening it would have obviously effected the completion date.”
Bank Street is currently scheduled to reopen on May 22.
In an effort to encourage people into the city centre, the council are continuing to reduce fees to 20p for the first two hours of parking at the Rose Street multi-storey for the first two hours, although motorists are then charged full price.
Roadworks due to start earlier this week at Millburn Road have also been postponed again until May 4 because of the city centre situation.
No date has been put on Academy Street reopening to traffic as fire and police investigators have been unable to enter the building, which housed the M&Co clothing store and RDs Hair and Beauty.
Inverness based Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart has raised concern about the long term future and urged it not to be left as a “shell”.
Mr Stewart introduced a bill to the Scottish Parliament last year to allow local authorities more powers when dealing with dangerous or defective buildings.
He said: “The recent unfortunate fire in the premises on Academy Street has prompted me once again to highlight the need for owners and businesses across the Highlands and islands to better look after some of their premises and taken positive action to address building defects.
“I am not insinuating that the building which caught fire was dangerous or derelict, far from it, but it is now in the post fire stage, being made safe at least as it has been totally destroyed. I do hope that it will not be left in it’s ‘shell’ form for months and years to come like so many others.”