Repair works to a crumbling bridge in west Stirlingshire are on track to be completed this month.
Residents and traders have long been awaiting the re-opening of the Catterburn Bridge, in Croftamie, since it was forced to shut back in September 2021.
But work to repair the structure and re-open the route is nearing completion, with Stirling Council confirming that the re-opening will be due later this month.
A Stirling Council spokesperson told the Observer: “The reopening of the Catterburn Bridge is still due to take place in April.
“We will continue to keep local residents and businesses informed of the latest developments as repairs to the structure are completed, and we appreciate the patience and understanding of the local community during the closure of this crucial crossing point.”
The road there was closed – from the B834 to the A811 – after a section of wall and pavement on the bridge partially collapsed.
The completion of works had initially been earmarked for February this year. However, the project was hit with delays and the re-opening was pushed back to this month.
The council blamed the delay on “poor weather and extremely low temperatures” as well as “structural complexity”.
Back in January, the council said: “The essential repairs at the bridge continue to prove challenging and complex, with adverse weather conditions in December contributing to this additional delay. The council and its contractor will continue to do all they can to ensure the bridge can be reopened as soon as possible, and we will continue to keep the local community regularly updated as we move towards the completion of the project in the spring.”
When the route was closed, Stirling Council put a diversion route in place, via the B834 and A81 to Ballat Crossroads, with HGVs diverted via the B834 and A875 through Killearn and Balfron.
In November 2021, we told how traders in west Stirlingshire were left fearing that they could see takings drop by up to 40 per cent due to a series prolonged bridge closures in the area.
Business owners in Drymen, Croftamie, Balmaha and the East Loch Lomond area said that multiple bridge closures in the area had brought businesses to their knees and they formed a community action group comprising of 80 per cent of the businesses.
Calling themselves Business Action Roads and Bridges (BARB), the trading group said that the crumbling infrastructure in west Stirlingshire was having an immediate detrimental effect on local businesses and the wider community.
Reeling from Covid restrictions, businesses were being hit by a number of bridge collapses and road closures, including the Catterburn Bridge, as well as the Branshogle Bridge, near Balfron.
Local residents and traders living and working near Branshogle Bridge breathed a sigh of relief when the route finally re-opened after almost two years in December last year. It shut in March 2021 following a collapse due to heavy rainfall.
The council committed £2.5million towards repairs to the Catterburn and Branshogle bridges.
