Meetings to focus on Kessock Bridge disruption

A SENIOR representative of Scotland Transerv is to attend meetings in Dingwall and Culbokie next week to brief the public on urgent repairs to be carried out on the A 9 Kessock Bridge for eight days from Monday 19 June.
Cathel MacAskill, Customer Services Manager with Scotland Transerv, will be in attendance at the Dingwall and Seaforth Ward Forum on Wednesday 8 June at the St Clement’s Church Hall, Dingwall (7 pm start).
He will also attend the Black Isle Ward Forum at Culbokie Primary School on Thursday 9 June (6 pm start).
Major repairs are required to the north expansion joint on both carriageways of the Kessock Bridge and remedial works to the bridge deck surfacing.
The works will start on Sunday 19th June 2011, for 8 days using a 24 hour contra flow working with a 30mph speed restriction. At peak times significant traffic delays are anticipated.
Both lanes of the northbound carriageway will be closed for the first three days to allow that section of the expansion joint to be dismantled and reassembled. Both lanes of the southbound carriageway will be closed from Wednesday 22nd June 2011, until the evening of Sunday 26th June 2011, to similarly attend to that section of the south bound joint.
Scotland Transerv, on behalf of Transport Scotland, are encouraging all communities and businesses throughout the North of Scotland to consider, amongst other things, car sharing, use of public transport, home working and where practicable staggered working hours.
The Dingwall and Seaforth Ward Forum will also focus on Dingwall’s Norse Heritage and the benefits of involvement in a European Northern Periphery Partnership Project, the ‘Thing Project’.
The meeting will be chaired by Councilllor Margaret Paterson who said: “The Thing Project has created exciting links for Dingwall with Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Shetland, Orkney and the Isle of Man. It has also been the catalyst for a number of projects including an archaeological survey of the area around the Cromartie car park in September (which is thought to the site of the local Viking parliament), proposals for conversion of the old toilet block on Tulloch Street to a Heritage Hub and Information Centre and a film project ‘Come Dine with Me through Time’ involving local young people looking at living and eating in Viking times. The young people will attend the Forum to give a presentation on their involvement with the film.”
The Black Isle Ward Forum will look at major changes in the way that health and social care is delivered.