Editing Inverness (section)

===Road network===
[[Image:Kessock Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1235341.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Kessock Bridge]] carries the [[A9 road (Great Britain)|A9]] trunk road across the [[Beauly Firth]]]]

Inverness is linked to the [[Black Isle]] across the Moray Firth by the [[Kessock Bridge]]. Three [[trunk road]]s link Inverness with the rest of Scotland – the [[A9 road (Great Britain)|A9]] north to Thurso and Wick, and south to Perth (carrying [[European route E15|European Route E15]]) and the [[Central Belt]], the [[A82 road|A82]] to Glasgow via Fort William and the [[A96 road (Great Britain)|A96]] to Elgin and Aberdeen. Plans are in place to convert the A96 between Inverness and [[Nairn]] to a dual carriageway and to construct a southern bypass that would link the A9, A82 and A96 together involving crossings of the Caledonian Canal and the River Ness in the Torvean area, southwest of the town.<ref>{{cite web|date=16 March 2007|title=The Highland Council website|url=http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2007/March/2007-03-15-02.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527031330/http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2007/March/2007-03-15-02.htm|archive-date=27 May 2010|access-date=14 July 2010|publisher=Highland.gov.uk}}</ref> The bypass, known as the [[Inverness Trunk Road Link]] (TRL), is aimed at resolving Inverness's transport problems and has been split into two separate projects, the east and west sections. 

In late 2008 the controversial decision by the Scottish Government not to include the full Inverness bypass in its transport plan for the next 20 years was made. The government's Strategic Transport Projects Review did include the eastern section of the route, which will see the A9 at Inshes linked to the A96. The absence of the TRL's western section, which would include a permanent crossing over the Caledonian Canal and River Ness, sparked dismay among several Highland councillors and business leaders in Inverness who feel the bypass is vital for the city's future economic growth.<ref>{{cite web|date=30 December 2008|title=The Inverness Courier|url=http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8355/Labour_to_quiz_Holyrood_government_on_TLR_funding.html|access-date=14 July 2010|publisher=The Inverness Courier}}{{dead link|date=November 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Ultimately both sections received funding from the Inverness and Highland city-region deal.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Downie|first=Stuart|title=City region deal project information|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/20014/economic_development/715/city_region_deal_project_information/9|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.highland.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Downie">{{Cite web|last=Downie|first=Stuart|title=City region deal project information|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/20014/economic_development/715/city_region_deal_project_information/8|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.highland.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref> The eastern section now also includes a commitment to upgrade the Longman Roundabout to a grade separated interchange.<ref name="Downie"/>

[[File:Eastgate Centre from Millburn Road - geograph.org.uk - 934823.jpg|thumb|right|Cars passing through Millburn Road in Inverness]]

The east section will bypass Inshes Roundabout, a notorious traffic bottleneck, using a new road linking the existing Southern Distributor with the A9 and the A96, both via grade separated interchanges. This proposed new link road would separate strategic traffic from local traffic. It will also accommodate the proposed developments at Inverness Shopping Park, West Seafield Business Park, Inverness Campus and housing developments at Ashton Farm, Stratton and Culloden West.<ref name="Inverness East Development Brief">{{Cite web|title=Inverness East Development Brief|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/directory_record/712056/inverness_east_development_brief|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.highland.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref> An indicative timescale for completion of this section is the dualling of the A96 from Inverness to Nairn.<ref name="Inverness East Development Brief"/> The west section is intended to provide an alternate route connecting the A9 with the A82. This will bypass the city centre by providing additional crossings of the River Ness and Caledonian Canal. At the west end, two options for crossing the [[River Ness]] and [[Caledonian Canal]] were developed. One involving a high level vertical opening [[bridge]] which will allow the majority of [[canal]] traffic to pass under without the need for opening. The other involved a bridge over the river and an [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]] under the canal. Both of these designs are technically complex and were considered in detail along by the key stakeholders involved in the project.

Ultimately it was decided that a bridge would be constructed over the River Ness and a second swing bridge be constructed over the Caledonian Canal. This second swing bridge would operate in tandem with the current swing bridge enabling a constant flow of traffic. The works started on site on the 10 June 2019 and include a roundabout, realignment of General Booth Road onto the A82, and a second bridge across the Caledonian Canal.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=The Inverness West Link|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1523/transport_and_streets/128/the_inverness_west_link|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.highland.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref> The works were programmed to be complete in December 2020. However, due to a number of construction delays the section was opened in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mckenzie|first=Duncan|title=A final piece of Inverness's West Link swings into place today with trial opening of new Torvean Bridge|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/13679/a_final_piece_of_inverness_s_west_link_swings_into_place_today_with_opening_of_new_torvean_bridge|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.highland.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:The Inverness Road (the A82) - geograph.org.uk - 3399120.jpg|thumb|left|The section leading to Inverness of the [[A82 road]], dubbed "The Inverness Road"]]

In late 2008 the Scottish Government's transport plan for the next 20 years was announced. It brings forward planned improvements to the [[A9 road (Scotland)|A9]] in an attempt to stimulate the economy and protect jobs. Work costing a total of £8.5 million was undertaken at [[Moy, Highland|Moy]], [[Carrbridge]], and [[Bankfoot]]. Northbound overtaking lanes were created and the carriageway was reconstructed at both Moy and Carrbridge. Junction improvements were also made at Moy. In November 2011 the Scottish Government announced that it will [[A9 dualling project|upgrade the entire road from Perth to Inverness]] to dual carriageway. Work on this project was scheduled to be completed in 2025, at a cost of £3 billion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transport Scotland - A9 dualling Perth to Inverness|url=http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/a9|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114111557/http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/a9|archive-date=14 November 2013|access-date=2 April 2025|website=www.transportscotland.gov.uk}}</ref> However, in 2023, this project was announced to be an impossible deadline, with a mere 11 miles having been dualled since it was announced in 2011, to severe uproar from people across the Highlands, as well as neighbouring [[Moray]], subsequently, the project was extended by a further 10 years to 2035, with [[Michael Gove]] stating that the A9 had to be dualled north of Inverness to [[Nigg, Highland|Nigg]] in order to assist with the UK Government's "[[Levelling-up policy of the British government|Levelling Up]]" programme at the port.

In July 2013, the Scottish Government announced a plan to install average speed cameras on the A9 between Perth and Inverness. This has been undertaken with an aim to reduce accidents and fatalities on the road, and will be the second permanent average speed camera scheme in Scotland.<ref>{{cite news|date=26 July 2013|title=Average speed cameras for A9 from Dunblane to Inverness|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-23462860|url-status=live|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109231145/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-23462860|archive-date=9 November 2018}}</ref> As of October 2021, 2 sections of the upgraded route have been opened.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Transport Scotland {{!}} A9 dualling Perth to Inverness|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a9-dualling-perth-to-inverness/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.transport.gov.scot|language=en}}</ref> In August 2021 the procurement process for the Tomatin to Moy section was started. Once this section is completed, there will be 20 miles (32&nbsp;km) of continuous dual carriageway south of Inverness.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Next stage of A9 Dualling procurement gets underway|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/next-stage-of-a9-dualling-procurement-gets-underway/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.transport.gov.scot}}</ref>

In December 2011, The Scottish Government announced its intention to dual the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Project details|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-dualling-inverness-to-aberdeen/a96-east-of-huntly-to-aberdeen/project-details/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.transport.gov.scot}}</ref> The project will include upgrading the remaining 86 miles (138&nbsp;km) of single carriageway along the route to dual carriageway at a cost of £3 billion. The first section to be dualled will be the section between Inverness and [[Auldearn]]. This will include a bypass of [[Nairn]] and the construction of a number of [[Interchange (road)|grade separated interchanges]] along the route.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A96 Inverness to Nairn including Nairn Bypass|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-dualling-inverness-to-aberdeen/a96-inverness-to-nairn-including-nairn-bypass/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=www.transport.gov.scot}}</ref>