Gas firm may delay work after pressure
month or so.
“Crieff businesses have requested that the work be done in winter rather than peak tourist time.
“If the bridge has to be closed, there will still be pedestrian access.
“The work is expected to last 16 weeks in total.
“If the bridge has to be closed, it will be for three to four weeks, not the full 16 weeks.
“The work will not be permitted during exam time, the Highland Games or the Solheim Cup.
“They will be working on the bridge 24 hours so if the bridge is closed and a fire engine or ambulance needs access, this can be arranged within eight minutes.”
Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, co-hosted the meeting.
She said: “I am very grateful to David McCann and other members of the Crieff Succeeds BID for their really informative input and I am very pleased, too, that represents from SGN were able to join us and answer some of the questions that were raised.
“In particular, there was unanimity in the room that everything possible must be done to avoid closing the bridge and that there should be no question of the works being carried out during the peak tourism season.
“I will be looking for SGN to give as concrete information as they possibly can, as soon as they can.”
Dan Brown, a spokesperson for SGN said: “We’d like to thank everyone who came along to Strathearn Community Campus.
“Over the coming weeks, we’ll be taking stock of all the feedback we received as well as carrying out on-site surveys in North Bridge Street in the next stage of our planning process.
“We’ll continue to keep the local community updated during our ongoing planning process.”
The public meeting at Strathearn Community Campus heard the concerns from local residents and businesses
SGN has also said they will hold another consultation event in eight weeks’ time when they have a better idea of what needs to be done.
Strathearn councillors Rhona Brock, Stewart Donaldson and Roz McCall, along with representatives from local firms, community groups and Crieff residents, along with Bob Falconer, a manager with the gas distribution company SGN, were in attendance at the meeting.