Hope for the Clyde Bridge re-opening?

As reported in the Gazette, there has been a storm of local protest since South Lanarkshire Council closed the span three weeks ago on safety grounds, stating that it did not have the £3m required to repair or replace it, this sum being its total annual bridge repair budget.

Now Gordon Mackay, Head of Roads and Transportation at South Lanarkshire Council, has said the council hasn’t yet written off all hope of re-opening the 106 year old span which has had a 3 tonne limit for the past 27 years.

He said: “It is unfortunate that Clyde Bridge had to be closed, but there really was no choice in the matter.

“The bridge is inspected on a monthly basis by engineers and the most recent inspection showed that there had been a serious deterioration in its condition.

“The decision therefore was taken to close it to protect the public’s health and safety, which has to be our priority at all times. Having closed the bridge and established the best possible alternative routes for traffic, we are now looking at all the options, with our firm intention being to re-establish a crossing point if it is possible to do so. We are investigating these options as a matter of urgency.”