Residents in Balfron will be given further clarity next month on when repair work to a crumbling bridge near the village is due to be completed.
The Branshogle Bridge, on the B818, has been shut since it partially collapsed back in March last year, leaving some traders and residents along the route facing lengthy diversions.
Stirling Council this week said that it would provide a further update to the community on the scheduled completion date at the next engagement event, scheduled for early August.
Work on the bridge at Branshogle started last November, but has been hit with delays.
In May this year, farmer Alastair Nicolson from Claylands on the B818, voiced his concerns over the delays, warning that further delay could hit businesses even harder in the pocket.
At that time, Stirling Council confirmed to the Observer that its contractors had “faced significant challenges” due to the “complexity of the project”.
It comes after we revealed last week that emergency repairs at the Catterburn Bridge, Croftamie, will finally get underway next month. The bridge, on the A809, shut last September after a section of the wall and pavement collapsed. The route has remained closed, from the B834 to the A811. We reported how a contractor for the repair project has been appointed, with work to start in August.
Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.
The council this week confirmed that construction firm AmcoGiffen has formally been appointed as the contractor on the Croftamie project and were to begin carrying out initial site investigation works from Wednesday (July 27), with the main work starting next month.
Drymen Community Council this week said that Stirling Council were set to stage a public information event about the Catterburn Bridge yesterday (Thursday) at the But and Ben cafe in Croftamie.
Convener of Stirling Council’s Environment and Housing Committee, Councillor Jen Preston said: “I know how much disruption the closure of this crucial crossing point is causing to local residents and businesses, and the council has progressed repairs as a matter of urgency.
“We are working with utility partners and the contractor to ensure work on the bridge can start as soon as possible, and we will continue to keep local people updated regularly throughout the duration of the project.”
The council has committed £2.5million for the essential repairs to both the Catterburn and Branshogle Bridges. They added that the repair at both sites has been challenging due to a number of factors, including the unstable and varying ground conditions, the ages of the bridges and environmental factors.
