Big plans for Kingussie crossroads
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The capital of Badenoch is in line to enjoy ‘one of the widest bits of roads anywhere in the Highlands’.
That’s how the team behind the rejuvenation of Kingussie’s showpiece Gynack Gardens view the chance of an extra dimension to the project.
Cycle Friendly Kingussie, a division of the town’s community development company, have announced new plans to redesign the Spey Street and Ruthven Road junction.
CFK’s project officer Bob Kinnaird told the Strathy: “This is all part of the wider cycling, walking and wheeling initiative planned for the town.
“It was only after applying for support from Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme that the redesigning of this important junction became a clear opportunity for us.
“The junction itself could be one of the widest bits of roads anywhere in the Highlands.”
‘Places for Everyone’ is funded by Transport Scotland and managed by cycle charity Sustrans, with the aim of improving active travel infrastructure throughout Scotland.
TGP landscape architects have now submitted radical improvement proposals for the strategic junction which acts as the entry to Kingussie Railway Station as well as the main road out of town to Ruthven and its famous barracks and the B970 back road to Insh and Kincraig.
Mr Kinnaird explained: “The overarching concept is to make the junction more pedestrian and cycling-orientated, along with acting as a high-quality public realm gateway feature for visitors arriving into Kingussie from the railway station and the Speyside Way.
“The proposals include a significant reduction in the size of the existing bell mouth, which in turn provides space for new paving and footway area.
“This will not only make it safer for children walking and wheeling to the primary school and high school but also provide an attractive link into the improvements due to begin shortly in the Gynack Memorial gardens.”
He added: “These are proposed plans, and comments and feedback are very welcome at this stage. Refined plans will still have to be submitted to the Highland Council for planning approval.”
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