The Highland Council are continuing to seek views redevelopment proposals for Academy Street and the area surrounding Inverness Railway Station.

In December 2018, the Council partnered with HITRANS to launch an on-line consultation asking for people to give their feedback on outline designs for Academy Street, Falcon Square and the Crown Road junction and Farraline Park and the link between Rose Street and the Railway Station entrance.

The on-line consultation period has now been extended until Friday 01 February and anyone wanting to take part can make their views known via the Council's website.

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There will also be a public engagement event taking place in the Eastgate Shopping Centre on Friday 11 January between 9.30am and 5pm. Representatives from the Council and HITRANS will be there to answer questions and on display will be images of the proposed layouts and options.

Options include widening pavements, reducing traffic speeds and introducing streetscape features to enhance the look and feel of the city centre. The designs were prepared by Civic Engineers, a civil and structural engineering company with a strong track record of designing and developing public realm improvements. The options were developed after discussions with local access groups, active travel stakeholders, Inverness BID, bus operators and key organisations including Living Streets Scotland.

Provost Helen Carmichael is encouraging people to take part and pass on their comments and ideas. She said: "This is hugely important project in our ambitious plans to regenerate the city centre. What a boost the city will get through the upgrade of the railway station and greatly improved links from Falcon Square, Academy Street and Farraline Park. I would urge the public to play their part by giving us their thoughts on the options we have presented."

The consultation feedback will inform the preparation of a bid for further funding from Transport Scotland through Sustrans Scotland's Community Links programme to progress the project to detail design stage.