Charity ‘will support’ Dunardry Bridge
But Scottish Canals says there is no plan to restore it
There are no plans to restore a historic – and unique – bridge across the Crinan Canal.
So says current operator of the canal network Scottish Canals despite being urged by a heritage charity to restore the structure.
The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), which works to preserve and restore Britain’s 7,000 miles of inland waterways, recently launched a campaign asking people to help uncover hidden heritage on their local waterways.
One heritage feature on the charity's list is Dunardry Bridge at Lock 11 on the Crinan Canal.
The IWA described the bridge as ‘a truly unique feature as it is the only hand-operated rolling bridge that goes across a lock chamber anywhere on the UK’s inland waterways network’.
The 121-year-old bridge, with its retractable cantilever design, was closed by Scottish Canals to all users in June 2015 as its condition deteriorated.
The IWA’s campaigns and public affairs manager Alison Smedley said: ‘We want to make sure the quirky features of the waterways such as Dunardry Bridge are retained, ideally in working order and are not forgotten in the future.’
Jonathan Mosse, one of IWA’s representatives in Scotland, said: ‘While there are other moveable bridges across lock chambers and other rolling bridges, Dunardry Bridge is the only example of both.
‘As such, we are working with Scottish Canals to explore options for how to repair it. We understand that Scottish Canals needs to concentrate its expenditure on improvements to navigation but IWA will fully support any heritage funding bid undertaken by Scottish Canals to reinstate the bridge.’
A spokesperson for Scottish Canals said: ‘In June 2018 we published our asset management strategy, which sets out the process for prioritising the demands of the canals across Scotland and how we plan and deliver those works.
‘Unfortunately, Dunardry Bridge, as a historic structure and the particular additional challenges that brings, requires additional funding to be able to be included within the programme of works.
‘Scottish Canals currently has over 150 high-risk assets needing attention across the network; we currently don't have resources to consider this at this time and, to be honest, that is likely to be the case for some time yet.
‘So, whilst we still have a very real aspiration to bring Dunardry Bridge back to use at some point in the future, at the same time recognising the challenges of asset degradation and the threats of climate change, it does not presently sit within our planned programme of works.’
If you spot something of interest on the Crinan Canal, snap a photo and send it to hiddenheritage@waterways. org.uk and copy to editor@ argyllshireadvertiser.co.uk.