Almondbank road reopens after work

Residents in the Almondbank area have been boosted by the lifting of a road closure which has forced them on a detour for the past four months.

Work on the multi-million pound Almondbank flood defences scheme saw the main route into the village closed.

This sparked some concern about school drop-offs and pick-ups for parents.

But Balfour Beatty, which is carrying out the project, has now reopened the stretch of road at Main Street, with traffic light controls allowing motorists to filter into the village.

The construction firm is installing a series of flood defences along the River Almond as well as a temporary flood water storage reservoir.

Almondbank has experienced a history of flooding from the River Almond and East Pow Burn, with serious flooding events hitting the community in 1993, 1999 and January 2011.

Working with Perth and Kinross Council, a number of measures had been taken to alleviate strain on traffic during the road closure, including rerouting a bus service and setting up a breakfast club to allow parents to drop their children off at school earlier.

The safe drop-off service is to be made permanent following the success of the service in the lead-up to the summer holidays.

A company will take over running the service, which is available with a charge, starting after the school holidays on Tuesday next week.

Hector Macaulay of Balfour Beatty said: “We have reached another key milestone in the delivery of Almondbank flood protection scheme, with the reopening of Lochty Road on schedule.

“We recognise the inconvenience that the road closure has caused to the travelling public and thank them for their patience over the past few months.

“Works on site are progressing well and I am pleased to note that we continue to build momentum in creating employment opportunities and supporting the local economy through the extensive use of local suppliers and contractors.”