Bridge repairs to take three years?

Labour's Regional MSP Claudia Beamish has issued a qualified welcome to the news that South Lanarkshire Council's SNP administration is to go ahead rebuilding two Clydesdale area bridges.
Claudia Beamish and Fagan at Clyde BridgeClaudia Beamish and Fagan at Clyde Bridge
Claudia Beamish and Fagan at Clyde Bridge

In its new budget the council has committed to rebuilding the recently closed Clyde Bridge connecting Carstairs Junction with Pettinanin and the rest of the Upper Ward and also the longer-closed Ponfeigh Bridge at Douglas Water.

Both spans were found to be unsafe after council inspections.

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Ms Beamish said: “I am delighted that funding has been made available to progress with the replacement of Clyde and Ponfeigh Bridges near Pettinain and Douglas Water. The council has confirmed to me that the work will go ahead but is likely to span the next three years. There has been a concerted campaign from the community to ensure these bridges reopen and I am pleased that the council has recognised the need for this to be prioritised. We have to ensure our road network is maintained. With poor public transport links, rural living is already challenging without our road network being compromised because of lack on maintenance. While I recognise that the maintenance of public roads is a council matter, councils are under increasing pressure with budget cuts forced upon them by the Scottish Government.”

Joe Fagan, council Labour Group Leader, said: “I congratulate the communities who have campaigned persistently for investment in the bridges here at the Clyde and at Ponfeigh.”