Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has welcomed a long awaited investigation into the sewer along Harbour Road in Inverness. The MSP was contacted by IDM Safety Solutions (IDM) back in September 2022 advising of a problem with sewage back spilling into premises on Harbour Road though their toilets.

Mrs Grant met with the Managing Director of IDM, Iain Macphail (pictured above), and one of the businesses affected. It became apparent that the problem was not restricted to just one business however with other businesses along Harbour Road also submitting pictures and video footage to the MSP showing the scale of the problems they had experienced.

Mrs Grant subsequently set up a roundtable meeting with the affected business owners, some of whom had incurred significant clean-up costs, together with Scottish Water and Highland Council who had appeared to be blaming each other for the problem.

She said “Given the clear environmental and health and safety implications, I pressed for a meeting with both Scottish Water and Highland Council.”

Following the meeting in December 2022, Scottish Water arranged for their specialist drainage engineer to visit affected sites with a view to progressing an initial investigation into the problem. In early February 2023, Highland Council confirmed that the road gullies on Harbour Road had been cleared as a result of the meeting.

The MSP continued “Appeals to both Scottish Water and the Scottish Government to fund the clean-up costs fell on deaf ears and the only way through was to keep pressing for the cause of the problem to be properly investigated.”

Scottish Water has now confirmed that an investigation, involving CCTV of the sewer, is scheduled to start this week, with the relevant traffic management in place. They advise that due to the scope and scale of the FMAP investigation required at this location, it has meant that this has been put through their capital delivery process to be programmed.

Scottish Water advise that the FMAP survey is expected to last 4 weeks with the work taking place at night to minimise disruption in the area as much as possible. Issues such as silt/fat/wipes, etc. will be cleared at the time of the survey and, once the survey is complete, the data obtained will then need to be input and analysed for hydraulic modelling. This analysis they say, will take time and they work on a prioritised basis across Scotland to ensure highest priority is given to those properties at greatest risk of internal sewer flooding.

Rhoda Grant said “Progress to date has been slow but I am pleased to now be advised that the investigation of the sewer will start this week. I hope this will result in positive action being taken to address the problem and I thank the businesses who have taken the time to highlight their situation to me.”

Iain Macphail of IDM Safety Solutions said “This has been a challenge for our clients and others affected by the continual waste water ingress to their businesses and places of work and I am extremely grateful for the support of Rhoda and her team to continually push for this investigation which will hopefully allow the issue to be rectified for all those affected by it.”

Mrs Grant concluded “I will be keeping a close eye on what the investigation shows as we simply must get this situation resolved given the nature of the problem.”

Commenting on the news that the dualling of the A9 will be delayed for over a decade, Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Alex Rowley said: “This is a shameful betrayal of the communities that have been given assurances over dualling for years from this government.

“This news will be a hammer-blow to businesses and communities and means that safety concerns will persist for over another decade.

“This new date is some 28 years after the SNP first promised the dualling – no wonder public confidence has collapsed.

“The people of Scotland should not pay the price of SNP-Green incompetence.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said: “The announcement of one section to by dualled in the next four years is not going to pacify my constituents’ anger at the lack of progress.

“This government knew it was not going to meet its 2025 promise, yet tried to hide that.

“I asked the Cabinet Secretary if she will give detail as to the key differences between design and build and Mutual Investment Models, and where the risk for each lies, and if she would tell my constituents how they can realistically gauge progress towards completion themselves, given the government’s deception in the past?

“I didn’t get answers to these questions but I will continue to press the Scottish Government to provide this detail.”

It was good to meet George Shand and Stephen Rhodes at Highland Fuels last week, talking about energy markets and their Employee Owned Trust.

Exciting times for the company.

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has welcomed news that the first stage of the tender process to replace the existing Naver Bridge in north-west Sutherland is expected to start imminently.

Mrs Grant made representation to Highland Council earlier this year, highlighting the concerns the community brought to her about the perilous condition of the existing bridge.

She said “I am pleased that things are now moving forward, no doubt as a result of the concerns that members of the community, and the Bettyhill, Altnaharra and Strathnaver Community Council, raised.

“I will be keeping an eye on how things progress and very much hope that work on the new bridge will begin in early summer next year as reported.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has been advised by Transport Scotland that temporary warning signs are being erected on the trunk road approaches to the pedestrian crossings at both sides of the Friars Bridge in Inverness, with permanent warning signs and improvement to existing markings also being implemented in the new year.

This follows the MSP’s representation to the Scottish Government about the danger to pedestrians at the Telford Street roundabout where many users think the traffic lights at the Aldi store are too close to the roundabout.

Rhoda Grant said “I am pleased that the concerns I have raised on behalf of constituents have been heard and I hope the new warning signs, when in place, will go some way to reducing the risk to pedestrians and cyclists in these areas.”

Mrs Grant has been advised that the design of permanent warning signs and improvements to the existing road markings are currently ongoing and Amey hopes to implement these measures early in the new year, subject to the delivery of materials and any potential weather impacts.

Transport Scotland advise that they have instructed Amey to accelerate these works where possible, and that the temporary warning signs will remain in place until the permanent improvement works have been completed.

Mrs Grant said “It’s not clear yet exactly what the design for the permanent signage and improved road markings will be, and whether these will be enough, but it’s a start and I will be keeping in touch with Transport Scotland about this.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament congratulating the Inverness Courier on winning News Media Association’s Making a Difference award 2023 for its Dual The A9 campaign.

Rhoda Grant said “The Courier has done a fantastic job in raising awareness of the desperate need to dual the A9.

“The Scottish Government promised the road would be dualled by 2025 and then promptly kicked it into the long grass. Meanwhile families continue to be left devastated by the deaths of loved ones who have lost their lives on this road.

Mrs Grant concluded “The Inverness Courier is ensuring the voices of the people in the Highlands and Islands is being heard and I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone involved in continuing to bring this to the government who must now make this their top priority.”

The text of Mrs Grant’s motion is below:-

Motion Number: S6M-11098
Lodged By: Rhoda Grant
Date Lodged: 03/11/2023

Title: Inverness Courier Wins Top National Award for its Dual The A9 Campaign

Motion Text:

That the Parliament congratulates The Inverness Courier on winning the News Media Association (NMA) Making a Difference award 2023 for its Dual The A9 campaign; notes that the NMA acknowledged the campaign’s viral front page, which it understands gained over a million views; considers that the campaign is well-informed and engaging, and that it effectively highlights the need for the road to be dualled; notes that, as part of the campaign, the team at The Inverness Courier organised a leadership debate at which the issue of the A9 was raised, organised an A9 Crisis Summit in Inverness, and has provided a dedicated section on its website; acknowledges that the campaign has been hailed by the NMA as an exemplary instance of the essential role that journalism plays in society, in shining a light on such an important cause; commends the team members at The Inverness Courier, who, it understands, have vowed to continue the campaign until the A9 is dualled, and congratulates everyone involved for their work in keeping this issue in the spotlight.

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament congratulating all the competitors from throughout the Highlands and Islands who won their categories in this year’s Royal National Mòd which was held in Paisley between 13 and 21 October.

The MSP has also recognised the efforts of those involved in the organisation of the event and has acknowledged the dedication of everyone taking part in the annual competition.

Scottish Labour launched its Gaelic Policy at this year’s event and hopes the document entitled “An Economic Plan for a Living Language” will provide the platform for a new perspective on ensuring the survival of the Gaelic language and culture by, first and foremost, revitalising the economy of Gaelic-speaking areas.

Rhoda Grant, said “I congratulate the academics at the University of the Highlands and Islands whose research demonstrates a sharp decline in the number of Gaelic speakers in the last 30 years, particularly amongst young people.

“We need to prevent any further decline, and indeed promote the language and culture more if we are to ensure its survival.”

Mrs Grant continued “We must revitalise the economy of Gaelic-speaking areas in the Highlands and Islands. Our policy also acknowledges that the cultural sector is a key employer in the Gaelic-speaking community with radio and TV in particular creating a number of jobs in the Highlands and Islands.

“We need to equip these areas with the tools they need to thrive and expand. This includes ensuring there is good quality housing available not only to stop the decline, but to encourage others to move to these areas to help them to thrive. We need to vastly improve our ferry network to sustain and grow our businesses and to allow the tourist market to flourish and savour our wonderful Gaelic culture. We need to provide our young people with the skills to keep them at home instead of forcing them to leave.

“As Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, I am involved in land reform and in agricultural and crofting policy which will all impact the economies and future of our Gaelic speaking communities and, with this document, Scottish Labour has provided the framework to kick start these much needed changes to ensure our world renowned Gaelic culture and language survive.”

I am pleased to help the Crofting Commission publicise their next drop-in event on Monday 6th November, at Lochinver Village Hall, 5-8pm. For more info, contact development@crofting.gov.scot or visit https://www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/succession