A former councillor has claimed a problem with a busy swing bridge which caused gridlock in Inverness should spark a rethink of a controversial road project.
Katrina Coutts, a long-standing critic of the West Link road project, believes only a fixed crossing should be considered for the Caledonian Canal.
The existing Tomnahurich Bridge, which carries the busy A82 Inverness-Fort William road over the waterway, jammed open earlier this month, causing widespread congestion across the city.
A second swing bridge is planned for the area as part of the £43million West Link plan – the intention being that when one is open, the other is closed, allowing traffic to flow.
However, Mrs Coutts has now written to Transport Scotland’s chief executive David Middleton in a last ditch bid for him to reconsider the proposal.
She has campaigned for road changes for 35 years, and wants the A82 to be rerouted from the former Torvean quarry to Dores Road to create an Inverness bypass.
She added: “The present situation is dire and requires urgent action by yourselves (Transport Scotland), given your responsibility for trunk roads, to take swift advantage of the only available means by achieving the necessary non-opening bridge, serving one of Scotland’s most prestigious tourist routes leading from Inverness to Loch Ness, the magnificent Highlands and islands and Loch Lomond.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said the body would respond to her letter in due course, but insisted the West Link was the responsibility of Highland Council, and that planning permission had been in place since April 2014.
He added: “Transport Scotland have delivered or are taking forward a number of strategic road improvements which will bring significant improvements to traffic in and around Inverness.
“These include the £13million refurbishment programme for the Kessock Bridge to deliver a reliable crossing for road users for the next 30 years, the A9/96 improvement scheme to the east of Inverness, a new flyover at Longman roundabout, and dualling the A9 from Perth to Inverness and A96 from Inverness to Aberdeen.
“All of these will bring long term economic and social benefits to Scotland’s Highland capital.”