'Spaces for People' costs for Dingwall revealed after freedom of information request
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THE cost of installing – and later removing – unpopular Covid-related "spaces for people" measures in Ross-shire's county town has been revealed.
A storm of protest greeted a number of traffic calming measures in Dingwall criticised as creating unnecessary congestion and, in some cases, new hazards.
Dismissed as a waste of money by many, the affair prompted a Freedom of Information request from local man Ian Lowe who was concerned about the use of public money.
Figures obtained show a cost of nearly £50,000 for installing the measures and another £1000 for removing them.
Highland Council has defended the move by making clear its budgets were not affected as funding was sourced elsewhere and some of the 20mph measures will be retained.
Mr Lowe said: "I am surprised at the costs and concerned at the £1000 it cost to remove the 20mph measures. I cannot imagine why it was so high."
The cost of design was £15,083, installation £16,504 and materials £18,392.
The largely unpopular traffic calming measures cost £6220 to design, £1407 to install with materials put at £7334.
Highland Council said the whole scheme cost £49,918.
Removal of the traffic calming is put at £1000 and the council says the temporary islands and speed cushions "will be put into stock and utilised on another project in the future".
The council said costs have been fully funded by Sustrans and the Spaces for People grant awarded for Covid-related temporary infrastructure "and the project has had no impact on the Highland Councils budget".
Mr Lowe shared the information online prompting a variety of responses.
Edwin Stewart said: "The real problem here is that there is a lack of qualified trained engineering staff. People have been promoted into senior posts that do not have the recognised qualification or experience required."
He said: "Basically this would not happen in private industry, heads would roll and people would be held accountable, sadly not in the council."
Karen Forsyth called it "a total waste of money".
Stuart Thain of Dingwall, who successfully challenged some of the measures, said: "Absolute joke. My family and I challenged the road safety department on this and were only met with cockiness and a lack of empathy. Many people on Burn Place felt that some of the road safety team were out to victimise and cause unrest, simply by some of the things they said over the phone to residents.
"Highland Council need to have a long, hard look at the way they conduct themselves and at the people they employ, but I believe we should all be filing complaints over this amount of money being wasted on something doomed to fail from the very beginning."
Local councillor Graham MacKenzie, who also challenged some of the road calming measures, said yesterday: "It is what it is. The measures were put in under delegated powers and as the money came from an external body and didn't use council money, councillors were not involved.
"Over the piece, it was easy to see these measures were not popular, and when the decision came to councillors to make permanent and extend the scheme we did not agree with the officers proposals.
"The decision to remove the measures was fairly well received."
