Bridge closed till April
Scottish Water this week denied rumours that a bridge near Balfron Station is set to be demolished after it was damaged by a JCB excavator.
Speculation on Facebook more than six weeks after the accident was that the entire structure would have to be pulled down and a new one built. People in Balfron have been told it will not re-open until April next year.
But a spokesman for Scottish Water, which owns mains pipes crossing the structure, said: “We are finalising our plans for the repair work that is required on the bridge at Balfron Station. There are no plans to demolish the bridge. The repair work will be an extensive and require road traffic management to enable it to be carried out.
“We will confirm what this work will involve as soon as possible. We would again like to apologise to local road-users for the inconvenience that the road closure on the A81 at Balfron Station is causing and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
A section of the A81 Glasgow-to-Aberfoyle road in Balfron, which runs underneath the bridge, has been closed since the accident which happened on September 28. But there is still no official update on when repairs will be completed and the bridge will reopen. Serious structural damage was incurred when it was struck by the arm of a JCB excavator which was travelling underneath. Diversions are in place via the B834, A809 and A11 travelling north, and the same in reverse southbound.
Balfron Community Council chairman Colin Cameron said: “It’s clearly frustrating both for residents and businesses in the area but it is also important that the work is done properly and expeditiously.”
On a local Facebook cycling page, a recent post said: “Nipped by the bridge this morning to see what it was like since it got whacked. There’s a security guard there 24/7 now and was out the minute we turned up. The fencing is all chained up in place also now, and the bridge being supported from the roadside. We were told the damaged bridge is getting demolished and a new one erected. Road totally closed to next Spring.”