HN Action is your forum for readers where our team of journalists investigate complaints.

We want to hear from you about what's happening in your area. Is there something we should be looking into, or do you have some good news to highlight?

Call the Highland News newsdesk on 01463 732230 or email newsdesk@highland-news.co.uk or leave a comment below.

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Here's a taste of some of the stories featured in HN Action:

Demand for action on "worst road in Inverness"

A CITY councillor is calling on council chiefs to take action on what he has branded “the worst road in Inverness”, after the dangers of the route were highlighted in the Highland News two months ago.

Norrie Donald wants immediate action to be taken to resurface Stratherrick Road in Upper Drummond, which is frequently used by cyclists and children, to get to Lochardil and Holm primary schools.

The road was branded unsafe in the Highland News by angry parents and cyclists as far back as November, yet Highland Council refused to repair it, and now Councillor Donald wants something done – before it is too late.

Read the full story in the Highland News.

Other recent HN Action stories included:

Four-year bus shelter wait is over

A BUS shelter in Inverness has finally been re-installed after the Highland News championed a fight to bring it back – ending a four year saga.

Passengers no longer have to wait for the bus on Castle Road standing out in the cold and rain after a shelter was erected this month.

John Martin (59) of Torbreck, Inverness, turned to HN Action and told how he had been asking to have the bus shelter, which used to stand on Castle Road, to be replaced since it was removed in 2007 – with no joy.

He said: “The shelter was removed four years ago when celebration got under way for the Highland Year of Culture and we were told at the time it would be put back up once the event came to an end. However, it never was.”

“I was passed from pillar to post by Highland Council, I spoke to my ward manager and then I spoke to someone in TEC services and all I kept getting told was the issue of the bus shelter is being looked into.”

However, after one inquiry by HN Action, Highland Council said a bus shelter had been purchased and our HN photographer caught the shelter been re-installed on camera just before Christmas.

 

Car park U-turn

A DISABLED Inverness woman who appeared in the HN raising concerns about a “dangerous” city car park is delighted her pleas have been heard.

Margaret Moore, of Millerton Avenue, Kinmylies, claimed the Rose Street Retail Park car park was an accident black-spot after her Motability car was badly pranged, costing £1,500 in repairs.

She complained arrows painted on the ground to guide drivers around its one-way system were not replaced when it was tarred.

As a result, motorists were entering and exiting using the same routes – a scenario which she claimed led to her car suffering serious scrapes along its passenger side and wing mirror.

Mrs Moore, who is disabled and uses crutches as she has Crohn’s Disease, osteoporosis, arthritis and a curved spine, said her Nissan Qashqai was damaged as she was leaving the car park after she swerved to miss a driver entering the car park via the exit route. She hit a concrete pillar.

However, on Friday, Mrs Moore was pleased to see the arrows had been reinstated by Cairngorm Solutions, agents for Inverness Properties, which owns the car park opposite Iceland. And she also received a cheque for £75 to cover her insurance excess.

Four-year bus wait sorted by HN Action

THE Highland News has championed a fight to see an Inverness bus shelter re-installed – ending a four-year battle.

John Martin (59), of Torbreck, Inverness, told the HN Action team he has been asking to have the bus shelter, which used to stand on Castle Road, replaced since it was removed in 2007 – with no joy.

He said: "The shelter was removed four years ago when celebrations got under way for the Highland Year of Culture and we were told at the time it would be put back up once the event came to an end. However, it never was.

"I have been passed from pillar to post by Highland Council, I spoke to my ward manager and then I spoke to someone in TEC services and all I kept getting told was the issue of the bus shelter is being looked into."

However, after one inquiry by HN Action, Highland Council confirmed a bus shelter has been purchased and will be installed in the next six to eight weeks.

Diabled driver brands car park dangerous

A DISABLED Inverness woman has raised concerns about a “dangerous” city car park after her Motability car was badly pranged.

Margaret Moore, of Millerton Avenue, Kinmylies, claims the car park in Rose Street Retail Park is an accident black-spot after arrows painted on the ground to guide drivers around its one way system were not replaced after it was tarred.

As a result, motorists are entering and exiting using the same routes – a scenario which she claims led to her car suffering serious scrapes along its passenger side and wing mirror.

She now believes Cairngorm Solutions, agents for Inverness Properties which owns the car park opposite Iceland, should use its insurance to pay for repairs, rather than the Motability scheme’s insurers forking out.

Gran's scam warning

A CLUED-UP grandmother has issued a warning to people using on-line banking facilities after receiving a series of scam messages and phone calls.

Jessie Tuddenham became suspicious when she received an email claiming to be from customer services at the Halifax informing her of a suspension notice.

But she turned to HN Action to waern others to beware after claiming she received the brush off from the bank and the police when she reported her concerns.

 

 

HN Action victory for blind man

A BLIND Inverness man has thanked the HN Action for helping him secure a benefits upgrade he was struggling to claim.

George McFarlane (49), of Woodlands Walk, Westhill, hit out in the HN last week at the “disorganised” way in which a new benefit was being introduced, causing delays in him receiving it.

However, last Wednesday – the day the newspaper went to print – he got word from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which is responsible for the benefit, that he would receive the cash.

The next day, it went into his account and was backdated to April 2010 when the new benefit was introduced by the government.

He believes it was the HN’s intervention that secured him the money after all the this time.

He said: “They moved pretty sharp after the Highland News got involved. Thanks so much. I’m delighted.”

 

Benefits wrangle gives city blind man the blues

A BLIND Inverness man has hit out at the "disorganised" way in which a new benefits upgrade has been introduced – causing delays in him receiving it.

George McFarlane (49), of Woodlands Walk, Westhill, who was registered blind 27 years ago, claims he is having to "jump through hoops" to claim long overdue cash.

But after an HN Action probe, it has emerged a lack of communication between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which is responsible for the benefit, and NHS Highland, has left him in limbo over getting his hands on the extra income.

Meanwhile, his sister Sinead McFarlane (39), who is also blind, claims she also found the system confusing.

Parking fines fury

ANOTHER motorist has been stung with a £70 fine for parking his car at Halfords Autocentre in Inverness – while it was in for an MoT!

Forestry worker Robert Hannah left his Toyota Corolla in one of the spaces marked "MoT Parking" and collected it about two and a half hours later, after they’d called him to say it was ready.

He thought nothing more about it until just over a week later when he received a parking ticket in the post demanding £70, or £45 if paid within 14 days.

Previously, a city motorist got a shock when he put his car in for a service.

But it wasn’t faulty workmanship, or excessive garage charges, that made him see red.

In fact, he was pleased with the work carried out by Halfords Inverness Autocentre on Harbour Road.

What incensed James Innes occurred five days later when he got a ticket demanding £45, rising to £70 if not paid within 14 days, for illegally parking in Halfords’ premises.

Now, the lab technician, who lives in Wyvis Place, has sworn never to return to Halfords.

However, after HN Action intervened Halfords immediately backtracked and revoked the fine.

Pamela to the rescue after bus leaves students stranded

AN Inverness woman became a good Samaritan after a budget bus company failed to take her and several other passengers to Edinburgh because it had overbooked.

Pamela Holmes was left stranded at Inverness Bus Station by firm Megabus who said there was only room for 49 passengers out of the 65 who were waiting – even though most of them had booked in advance.

But the grandmother-of-three ended up playing chauffeur to four Belgian students who were also left high and dry by the bus company, as otherwise they would have missed their flight home from Edinburgh.

Kind-hearted Pamela came to their rescue and drove them to Edinburgh to make sure hey made their flight.

But it took over two months for the Highland Hospice volunteer to get a refund from Megabus – and only when HN Action got involved this week.

£6m facelift needs urgent repairs 

A £6 MILLION project to spruce up the city centre which only ended this year already needs "urgent" repair works already.

Pleas for action have come from local businesses and a city councillor who fear pedestrians could be seriously injured if they fall on wobbly walkways.

The dangerous areas are part of the controversial Streetscape Project which involved laying new decorative paving slabs in a large area of the city centre and cause widespread disruption for over two years ago during installation.

And Highland Council has admitted in an email, seen by the Highland News, that the uneven paving stones will need repaired – but it is unsure when the work will be carried out.

Fires worry council tenant Nick

AN Inverness man whose block of flats has twice been hit by fires is flaming angry at Highland Council.

For despite repeatedly posting and hand delivering letters to individuals and the council housing office outlining his concerns, he has yet to receive a reply.

Plant operator Nick Owen (59) was a former housing maintenance manager with Berkshire County Council and has lived in his flat at Quayside Court, in the South Kessock area for seven years.

He has become alarmed by two fires in different flats in the block, the most recent of which saw the building evacuated while firefighters with breathing apparatus tackled the blaze. This week he turned to HN Action to voice his concerns.

 Outrage at housing estate bills

AN Inverness councillor is backing outraged city residents who have been sent bills for maintenance work on their estate.

Over 200 people who live on four streets in Kinmylies – including Lawers Way, Carn Gorm Terrace, Mamore Terrace and Creag Dhubh Terrace – each received a bill for £24.78 for "factoring work" from Cairn Housing Association.

The bill which was sent on May 9 to residents in the area stated that £15 was to cover administration fees and £9.78 was for "factoring repairs".

Angry residents approached HN Action to complain about the bills.

And around 90 people from Kinmylies attended an emergency meeting at Charleston Academy on Thursday led by Councillor Alex Graham.

Pupils in plea to speeders

A CITY school plagued by speeding drivers and illegal parking outside the school gates is on a mission to educate motorists about the dangers.

Pupils will brandish signs outside Merkinch Primary reminding motorists about irresponsible driving and parking and are campaigning to Highland Council to install speed bumps and other safety measures.

The project, which will see the children being taught general road safety at danger hotspots, coincides with Walk To School Week, starting on Monday, May 16.

The Pupil Council is also behind the efforts to beef up road safety around the Telford Road school and turned to HN Action to highlight their concerns.

Mobile phone giant reception headaches 

A MOBILE phone giant has finally admitted that there have been problems with reception in the Crown area of Inverness.

HN Action last week revealed a frustrated Vodafone customers had slammed the company for its failure to deliver a signal in the prime city centre location.

Now Vodaphone has now told property developer Ryan Forbes, who is threatening to take the firm to court, that there has been a problem since September and an engineer is scheduled to resolve it this month.

Another city businessman - Glen Cadwallader, managing director of Moray Security Ltd - said he believed his own business and other businesses in the area were suffering as a result of the poor signal provided by Vodafone in the area.

FRUSTRATED mobile phone users have slammed a major telecommunications company over it’s failure to deliver a signal in a prime city centre location in Inverness.

The issue was raised with HN Action by Ryan Forbes (29), who runs a property development business from his home in Midmills Road in Inverness, and has a contract with Vodafone. But claims he gets no signal to make telephone calls or receive emails when he is at his house or in the Crown area in general.

Mr Forbes said he has clocked up days worth of phone calls since September last year complaining to a number of different Vodafone customer services representatives about the problem. A number of hours have also been spent in the Vodafone shop, in the Eastgate Centre, in an attempt to get it sorted.

Meanwhile, Mr Forbes highlighted the signal problems he is experiencing on social networking site Facebook and comments came flooding back from other folk complaining about the same thing.

Play area turned into drink and drugs den 

A DRINK and drugs den where heroin addicts are shooting up day and night has been uncovered at a kids play park neighbouring a city school.

And worryingly, hypodermic needles – including some containing drugs – have been discovered by youngsters at a drugs hotspot described by a local councillor as a "shooting gallery" at Merkinch Play Area.

Residents of Benula Road, whose homes overlook the play area and football fields behind Merkinch Primary School and nursery, say they are concerned about the drink and drug abuse at several spots edging the park as well as violence and anti-social behaviour.

They spoke to HN Action following last week's coverage of discarded needles in Hilton.

Mum horrified by junkies' needles 

A SHOCKED Inverness mum has turned to HN Action after discovering her garden is being regularly strewn with junkies’ needles.

Kailee Peden was horrified when she found hypodermic needles had been thrown outside her Oldtown Road council home in Hilton and is demanding action from Highland Council and the police.

And she now fears for the health of her three-year-old son Rio, who was out playing the day before when she was unaware there was an issue of used needles being chucked into her garden.

She says Rio and her 10-month old daughter Erris-Mae are now prisoners in their own homes because she is frightened to let them out to play.

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