Simon Varwell

I live near the centre of Inverness - not a large city but the biggest for 100 miles in any direction, a major regional hub boasting the facilities and swagger of many bigger places. At its heart is this street, a nightmare for traffic, pollution and dangerous driving.

Today the council - to my astonishment - voted for a plan to remove through traffic except public transport, blue badges and deliveries. Lots of details to sort but this could be a transformation for the city’s liveability.

Nov 24, 2022 at 11:19pmWeb
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
Surprised at the response to the above toot. Thanks for all the reactions and I’ve tried to respond to all comments. I should say this wasn’t the only change approved at yesterday’s council meeting. Among other things they also approved an active travel route on the Raigmore interchange, Inverness’s biggest roundabout, and on Riverside Way (photo) between the city centre and various leisure facilities. Exciting to think the city will become substantially more liveable! Credit to all campaigners.
Show threadKramse - Scotlands Peoples 1stNov 24, 2022
@simonvarwell
Remember being stuck in the Inverness one way system in the late 90's, four times we tried to leave the city & 3 times we ended up in the same supermarket carpark, loved Inverness but not the one-way system.
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@Kramse aha I didn’t know there had been a one-way system here. I wonder if the liveability will decrease supermarkets’ power and strengthen independent shops.
Show threadKramse - Scotlands Peoples 1stNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell
🤣 maybe they got rid of the one-way system cause of the number of tourists trapped in it, was a long time ago now 👴but an abiding memory.
Show threadS FraserNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell @Kramse Yes. Locally known as "The Magic Roundabout" for pretty obvious reasons. Wrong lane - round you go again.
Show threadClaire Dalby (SY Drumlin) 🕊️Nov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell Brilliant news! I know the person who has done the air quality monitoring for this, he'll be excited now!
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@clairedalby fabulous! Well done him. It’s a no-brainer with those stats I’d bet. It’s amazing how polluted it can be for such a small city centre.
Show threadBarney Dellar (he/him)Nov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell @transponderings Go Shneckie!
Show threadRaymond W GallacherNov 25, 2022

@simonvarwell

I find this kind of transformation interesting. My own local town is really dowdy, Retail is finished in the traditional sense. We need new thinking on what town centres should be for them to still have function. Look forward to reading how this attempt works. (My opinion on future development: walkways and trees and no new retail spaces)
Thanks for posting.

Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@RaySF you’re welcome! Yes cities are for living, and it’ll actually be good for retail because residents, pedestrians and cyclists are proven to spend more money in an area’s shops than drivers (whether those parking or passing through).
Show threadBeeCycling has movedNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell That's amazing. And no doubt there will be much howling in protest. Hope the council stays strong and sticks with their vision.
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@beecycling it’s already started, with threats of a legal challenge. It’ll be sound though because there’s been extensive consultation and it’s triggering Scottish Government money. Such exciting times.
Show threadJohn MooreNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell Was there a few weeks ago, great place. Did note that the cycle lanes with wands in the centre of town looked just as dangerous for pedallers as the roads without.
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@piemanmastodon interesting observations John. Yes the wands are good in one sense in terms of protecting spaces but they don’t always work. And they aren’t even delineating cycle lanes - it’s technically a widening of the pavement so there’s still no actual formal cycling capacity.
Show threadJohn MooreNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell Ahhh. It wasn't obvious to us non-locals. They were regularly filled with delivery wagons when we were walking past them.
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@piemanmastodon indeed. If things aren’t obvious then they’re probably not working. And if they’re ingressed by vehicles then they’re definitely not working.
Show threadMs AB ☕Nov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell Fabulous news! In #Shrewsbury we have traffic-free weekends; the difference it makes to the Town Centre is incredible = relative quiet, people more relaxed, better air quality, safer.
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@galand2dogs interesting. Is it creating pressure for expansion?
Show threadLindaLERNov 25, 2022
@simonvarwell That is fantastic. It's over 100 miles away but it's my local big city. Academy Street and all its off roads cleaned up would be great. I doubt all the shops will be taken so convert as much as possible as housing for local occupation.
A good city for cyclists, too.
I wonder if there will be park and ride provision?
Show threadSimon VarwellNov 25, 2022
@LindaLER good question. Plenty parking in the city centre, but what would be even better is good P&R at the edges. I honestly think it’ll be brilliant for shops: pedestrians and cyclists are proven to spend more money than drivers. Though yes more residents in a city centre does help, albeit there’s been a lot of construction of them in recent years.
Show threadPeter BrownNov 8, 2024
@LindaLER @simonvarwell the council should work with Scotrail in both Inverness and Inverlochy (Fort William) to provide shuttle trains from adjacent stations to encourage modal shift to rail. Inverlochy to Banavie, Inverness to Beauly, Conan Bridge, Dingwell and the airport are all low hanging fruit.
Show threadsM0k3sT4kDec 1, 2022
@simonvarwell I grew up near Wolverhampton, another millennium city. It’s drastically reduced traffic within the ring road in the last 20 years.
Show threadSimon VarwellDec 1, 2022
@Smokestak interesting. How?
Show threadsM0k3sT4kDec 2, 2022
@simonvarwell mainly by restricting through routes in the centre. Just access to car parks and making some bus/taxi only.
Show threadPeter BrownDec 4, 2022

@simonvarwell excellent news! When I saw your photograph, my first instinct was to suggest Inverness should become to not through.
And hey presto!
It is.

This could be the first example of the capacity of a new road being balanced by removal of capacity of an old one 👍🏼

Show threadPeter BrownNov 8, 2024
@simonvarwell closure to through traffic of most of the city centre streets should have been a condition of opening the new(ish) dual carriageway bridge over the Ness. Similarly at the opening of the new Canal bridge recently.