The project team will be hosting a public consultation on the 9th August at 7pm on MS Teams. This workshop will allow members of the public to speak with officers and share their questions and comments. Join us by following this link at 7pm on Monday 9th August 2021: <a href="https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NGJjOWNmYzYtMTQxZS00ZWY0LThjZGQtYjdhODczZWRkNTBk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2216ed5ab4-2b59-4e40-806d-8a30bdc9cf26%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f5c645ac-0940-4814-bdb4-c824bfa9561a%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d&amp;btype=a&amp;role=a">Riverside Way - Public Consultation</a> .<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1628077020/projects/invernessactivetravel/c229e868-8d1a-4f7c-bdda-cc5ae6044018.jpg" />

Riverside Way Online Consultation Workshop on 9th August, 7pm

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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1585054765/projects/invernessactivetravel/03416bd3-0caf-4123-833a-7fbfbda7c7aa.png" />The UK’s most comprehensive assessment of cycling in cities, Bike Life, has revealed that four out of five people in Inverness (81%) think that more cycle tracks physically separated from traffic would help them to cycle more.<a href="https://www.sustrans.org.uk/bike-life/bike-life-inverness/">The report</a> , the first of its kind in Inverness, also found that cycling was the least safe way of travelling around the city with 66% of residents thinking that cycling safety needed to be improved. Run by Sustrans Scotland in partnership with The Highland Council and the Inverness Active Travel Network Programme, Bike Life is part of a wider piece of research by Sustrans covering 17 cities across the UK and Ireland, assessing cycling development, attitudes and behaviour in each city. A representative sample of 1,452 residents in Inverness was interviewed to find out more about their cycling habits, satisfaction, and the impact of cycling in the city. Currently, Inverness has 20 miles of traffic free routes and 52 miles of signposted routes along quieter streets, however there are zero miles of cycle track physically segregated from traffic and pedestriansPresently a quarter (25%) of residents cycle at least once a week. The health, social and economic benefits are clear, Bike Life calculated that 3.4 million trips were cycled in Inverness in the past year. Every day 3,200 return cycle trips are made by people that could have used a car, equating to a £5 million annual benefit to the city based on aspects such as vehicle costs, medical costs and work absenteeism, travel time and congestion. Despite concerns over safety, 62% of residents agree that more people riding bikes would make the city a better place to live and work whilst just less than three quarters (71%) of Inverness residents think space should be increased for people socialising, cycling and walking on their local high street.Commenting, Sustrans Scotland Head of Partnerships Kirsty Rankin, said: “The message from the Inverness Bike Life survey is absolutely clear: residents want to see more people choosing to travel by bike.“The Highland Council can rest assured that they have the backing of the public to build on the work they have already started to enable people to choose healthy, clean and affordable journeys by getting on a bike.” Highlands Councillor Trish Robertson (Chair of E&amp;I Committee) said : “The survey findings are very interesting and will help inform our future planning and decision-making where there are opportunities for the creation of cycling infrastructure in new developments across the Inverness area. “The interventions planned through the Inverness City Active Travel Network have the potential to encourage people to travel actively. Already we have seen significant numbers of pedestrians and cyclists using the new Active Travel bridge at Stoneyfield, proving that there is demand for more infrastructure. “Couple that with the active travel elements of the city region deal at the Longman junction and the new East Link, and Inverness is showing the ambition worthy of Scotland’s cycling city.” <a href="https://www.sustrans.org.uk/bike-life/bike-life-inverness/">Access the report</a>

80 percent of Inverness residents surveyed identified their desire for more protected cycle lanes

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1572538072/projects/invernessactivetravel/17354c20-7394-40ad-9022-13abea8ccbfa.jpg" />A big thank you to everyone who joined us during the Riverside Way Community Activities Day outside Eden Court and elsewhere along the route on Saturday 19 October! Around 70 people made it along to our pop-up picnic at Eden Court during this fresh day with the odd shower and some sunshine. This includes those who took part in a walk of the route. Also, around 20 people took part in a creative postcard making workshop, The activities were organised by Sustrans and The Highland Council, inviting the local community and wider public to share ideas about changes for the Riverside Way. This route is scheduled for active travel improvements as part of the Inverness Active Travel Network. The day, which was prepared and led by urban designers from erz, had information about the Riverside Way on display outside Eden Court, where people could ask questions and leave comments on the route whilst enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and cake. The led walk went along part of the route to explore first-hand which sections of the route would benefit from some changes. During the postcard making session people had the opportunity to present their suggestions by drawing them on a postcard, adding notes on the rear.All in all, the activities resulted in a wealth of ideas and local knowledge being captured as comments, notes and drawings. These will now be collated and brought into the process of developing a network guide, which will see specific route identity and placemaking proposals for Riverside Way and the other sections of the Inverness Active Travel Network currently looked at.