Embedded Files
Road Safety Video
Traffic Delays at Essich Roundabout Video
Traffic Delays on the West Link
Essich & Torbreck Community Association have commissioned road traffic consultants to predict the impact of the proposed development on Essich Road (watch these videos to learn more)
Essich Road is a single-track country road without pavements or bicycle lanes.
The council have indicated that the development would require stretches of the Road to be widened but this is not possible for its entire length due to the proximity of existing premises along the road boundary and a 3.8m wide bridge
Any development that requires access along the Essich Road (C1064) will therefore need to travel for some duration along a stretch of road that will remain single carriageway without passing places. The Highland Council has indicated that a potential solution to this will be traffic lights on either side of the existing housing/bridge.
The solution of traffic lights will make it very difficult for the residents of the properties that are enclosed by the traffic light system to:
Safely leave their properties at peak time with c 600 additional cars predicted to be using the road
Safely walk anywhere from their houses with access being directly onto Essich Road without any footpaths next to their houses. It is challenging and dangerous enough now, without the proposed development, but increasing the volume of traffic on a quiet road will make this impossible.
Footpath/Cycle lane
The Highland Council have acknowledged that the entire length of Essich Road cannot be widened and have suggested routing a footpath and cycle way via the fields in Knocknagael to provide access for pedestrians and cyclists. Such a route would not be visible from the road.
Providing a route via Knocknagael will require a safe means for pedestrians to cross Essich Road, it is unclear how this will be done. If a pedestrian crossing it to be added into the mix this will only add to the queuing and bottlenecking predicted though the section of road that cannot be widened.
Adding a route for pedestrians and cyclists that is not next to the Essich Road and is, in effect, a diversion from the road is unlikely to be adhered to by secondary school children. They will seek the quickest way to and from school, which will be in a straight line and will involve walking on the road through the single carriageway that cannot be widened. It is inevitable that this will lead to an accident.
Adding a route for pedestrians that is not directly adjacent to Essich Road, and which cannot be seen from the road does not represent good planning. It is likely to cause anxiety for anybody walking on their own, especially in the dark winter months. Furthermore, if anyone walking on the footpath were to have an accident, they may lie undiscovered for hours.
It is unclear how the planner led solution to safe pedestrian and cycle access will be delivered to safely avoid sharing the limited bridge width inside a traffic light system…. as is suggested by the developer picture right above
The Essich Road forms part of the recreational cycle routes used by cyclists in Inverness. In the summer months there are more cyclists using the road than there are cars.
Recreational cyclist will not divert to a separate cycle path when descending the Essich road hill. Cyclists travel at high speed down the Essich Road from which access to the proposed site is intended. It is inevitable that a cyclists travelling at high speed down the hill will not be spotted by a car leaving the proposed site and that and accident resulting in either serious injury or death will occur.
Bus routes / Connectivity
The challenges experienced in Ness Castle from an infrequent bus service highlights the necessity of a sustainable and reliable bus service. - (Holm Community Council)
If as is the case 35% of the housing is to be considered affordable it is not unreasonable to expect that social demographics of matters such as car use/ ownership will be a factor for some householders. Even more so the availability of an adequate public transport service is vital. That HCC have had cause to comment on the abject failure of bus companies to provide an adequate service does not bode well for this MCA.
Torbreck Road Junction
The junction between Essich Road and Torbreck road is best described as “blind” with vehicle exiting the Torbreck junction unable to see clearly any traffic that is approaching from the South.
Should the development go ahead with an increase of c600 cars it is inevitable that there will be regular accidents at this junction.
The Essich Roundabout
The roundabout junction between Essich Road and the Southern Distributor Road is already a bottle neck at peak times. Increasing the traffic on Essich Road will overload the roundabout and lead to significant tailbacks and delays.
Inshes Roundabout
The Inshes Roundabout is a notorious bottleneck which brings the busy Southern Distributor Road, Old Perth Road and Culloden Road together, as well as one of the access points for the Inshes Retail Park and an access onto the A9’s northbound carriageway. Improving this depends on progressing the A9/A96 East link.
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