Villagers in Balfron face five more weeks of disruption after a burst water main caused the closure of a recently-opened route.
The 48-inch water main has burst at the Ballochruin Bridge which is a popular route for walkers.
The area surrounding the bridge has been a regular site for water main problems, with the road being closed for five months from last September until January this year due to an issue with a different section of the pipe on the other side of the bridge.
It had followed a leak in the previous year, with Scottish Water officials once again expressing their gratitude to locals for their patience as the timetable for the latest works was revealed.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said the main would not affect customer supplies and that SEPA and other stakeholders had been made aware of the issues.
The spokesperson added: “We are carrying out initial investigations to determine the extent and cause of the damage.
“A short section of Ballochruin Road has been closed to allow us to carry out the repair safely which we anticipate will take approximately five weeks.
“We appreciate this will be inconvenient, but we will do all that we can to mitigate against any disruption while we carry out the work safely.
“We would like to apologise to road users and residents and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
The problems at Ballochruin are the latest in a series of disruptions to bridges and roads across rural Stirlingshire, with the Catterburn Bridge near Croftamie recently re-opened to much fanfare and relief from locals after a 21-month closure.
Branshogle Bridge, on the B818 near Balfron, was also the subject of a closure until late last year, with the route having been closed since March 2021 due to heavy rainfall leading to a partial collapse - and forcing motorists into a 19-mile diversion.
The section of pipe at Ballochruin, near the Endrick Water, carries water supplies from Loch Katrine, near Aberfoyle, all the way to Glasgow.
The Scottish Water statement was shared on social media by Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed, with locals expressing their frustration over the news.
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We are supporting Scottish Water to minimise disruption to travel and ensure repairs are completed as quickly as possible.”
