TLR Progress Report
August 2008
Expected date of announcement of Scottish Strategic Transport Review by the Scottish Government.
13 May 2008
Public meeting held in Inshes Church to explain the proposals for the eastern section and give the public an opportunity to ask questions. There was a large public attendance - probably approaching 200. The exhibition of the proposals will be held on 14th and 15th May, also in Inshes Church.
13 May 2008
TLR section of Highland Council website opened. It deals mainly with the eastern section and is located at: www.highland.gov.uk/itlr
28 April 2008
Briefing on options at eastern end of TLR given to Inverness City Committee. Both options impact onto the Inshes Retail Park and a final recommendation has still to be made. Public consultation exercise to be held in the local area in May 2008.
27 September 2007
Special meeting meeting of Highland Council approved by 41 votes to 21 proposal is for a fixed link involving construction of a bridge over the river and a tunnel/aqueduct passing under the Caledonian Canal at Torvean. It rejected a high level (15 metre / 49 foot) bridge for traffic over the canal which would not guarantee uninterrupted crossing of the canal.
Estimated cost £85m. High level bridge would have cost £55m.
The eastern section from the A96 at Smithton to Inshes estimated to cost £33m.
The proposals were sent to the Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review with a decision expected in summer 2008.
15 March 2007
Highland Council Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee gave approval to proceed with the design of the Inverness Trunk Link Road after a presentation by Scott Wilson, Consulting Engineers, Glasgow giving details of their in depth study which had considered a large range of options.
November 2006
Liberal Democrats launch “Speed up the Bypass” campaign. Postcards featuring a Loch Ness Monster type creature adorned with a white dotted traffic line along its backbone are delivered to tens of thousands of homes in the Inverness area.
2 March 2006
Inverness Local Plan adopted by Highland Council.
Page 15, para 1.27 - “Completion of the Inverness A9-A82 Trunk Road Link is also a vital investment to facilitate interurban freight journeys and improve the livability of central Inverness and key neighbourhoods.”
Page 36, para 29 - “Given that Phase V [to link Dores Road with the A82(T) at General Booth Road] will provide a continuous link between the A9 and A82 for trunk road traffic, the Council recommend that the Scottish Executive adopt and maintain the entirety of the route as part of the trunk road network.”
25 June 2004
Report of the Public Local Inquiry into Objections to the Inverness Local Plan recommends:
Option C (Low Fixed Bridge over River Ness and Opening Swing Bridge with minimum 1.5 metre clearance over Caledonian Canal)
Details of agreed route
The eastern link will run from the A 96 at Smithton to the A 9 at Inshes and at the western section will link Dores Road through to the A 82 at Torvean.
2010 - 2012: The eastern section of the road to be built first to ease traffic congestion and permit development, such as the UHI Millennium Institute campus at Beechwood Farm. Traffic taken off-line from a new interchange at Smithton to a new interchange at Inshes, and includes a new access to the A 9.
2012 - 2015: Construction of the western link from Dores Road to a new roundabout on the A 82 at General Booth Road. The River Ness will be crossed by bridge and an aqueduct /tunnel to cross under the Caledonian Canal.