Plans to re-open a west Stirlingshire bridge – shut since it collapsed in September 2021 – have been delayed until spring.
Catterburn Bridge, in Croftamie, was closed – from the B834 to the A811 – on September 30, 2021 when a section of wall and pavement partially collapsed.
In an update last month, Stirling Council indicated that the route would reopen in February.
However, in an update from Stirling Council this week, Croftamie Community Council revealed that those plans have been pushed back to April, with the final works to be completed by May.
The council have blamed the delay on “poor weather and extremely low temperatures” as well as “structural complexity”.
In the council update, the community council posted: “Piling works continue to progress on site. Single lane opening is now expected to take place in mid-April 2023, with overall works on site continuing until May 2023.
“Structural complexity, poor weather and extremely low temperatures experienced during December have been contributing factors to the delay. Additional propping to spandrel walls and wingwalls was installed to further safeguard the structure.
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“Despite additional propping mechanisms being installed, structural instability was identified during piling.
“Extensive structural surveys and coring took place in the pre-construction phase as well as during construction phase. Despite this, pile clashes with the existing structure were still experienced during the course of the piling works. This resulted in refusal of piles upstream and snapping of a piling augur downstream. To offset the construction risk piling activity on site was delayed and redesign of pile positions and sizings was commissioned. A smaller piling rig was also sourced.
“Thirty piles have now been installed, with a further eight to be installed. As planned, weekend working will again be adopted once piling has been completed. Excavation to formation, and installation and pouring of ground beams will also then take place.
“We would like to thank the community for their ongoing support and patience during this challenging time.”
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We recognise the closure of this crucial crossing point is causing disruption to local residents and businesses and we appreciate their patience and understanding.
“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 last month when the route finally re-opened after almost two years.
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.
