Parking problems at new Inverness College UHI

Permits are to be introduced to alleviate car parking problems at the new Inverness College UHI site.

The £50m building and its car park of more than 500 spaces sits on part of the Inverness Campus.

Students have told of difficulties getting spaces at the newly-opened college and finding alternative places to park on the 215-acre (87ha) campus.

Inverness College UHI said it was rolling out a permit system to help with parking at the site.

The system is similar to one used at the former college site at the Longman in Inverness.

Students said parking attendants have been sticking warning labels on cars wrongly using disabled bays, but also on cars parked up on grass verges.

A spokesperson at Inverness College UHI said: "We are currently rolling out a permit parking system similar to that operated at Longman.

"Whilst this is being implemented we would encourage students and staff to car share where possible.

"There are also excellent cycle routes to the campus as well as public transport connections."

Inverness Campus is a flagship project of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

HIE said it was willing to explore with Inverness College UHI additional land for parking if it was needed.

HIE's Inverness Campus offers plots of land to research, science and academic bodies and also businesses.

Organisations taking over a plot have responsibility for the running of it.