Road shuts after bridge collapses into burn Villagers face disruption for third time in recent months
A section of road through a west Stirlingshire village has been forced to close after a section collapsed into a burn.
The A809 road through Croftamie was shut from the B834 to the A811 after a section of wall and pavement at Catter Burn Bridge partially collapsed last week.
Local access to Croftamie is still available from the A811.
It is understood the collapse occurred some time between 4pm and 5pm on Thursday, September 30.
Stirling Council has put a diversion route in place, via the B834 and A81 to Ballat Crossroads, with HGVs diverted via the B834 and A875 through Killearn and Balfron.
The council added that public transport, school transport, bin collections and winter maintenance gritting will continue on the affected routes.
The bridge sits on the Glasgow side of the village and is the main link between Glasgow and East Loch Lomondside.
Barriers had been in place on the bridge for a number of years after concerns were raised with Stirling Council by villagers and Croftamie Community Council.
Convenor of Stirling
Council’s Environment and Housing Committee, Councillor Jim Thomson, said: “We understand the disruption this will cause to local residents and businesses, and we want to assure everyone that we are doing all that we can to progress a solution as quickly as possible.”
Vice convenor, Councillor Danny Gibson added: “This road closure is an essential safety measure. We appreciate the inconvenience the diversions will cause to individuals and businesses, and we will remain in contact with the local community to provide regular updates on progress.”
One concerned resident contacted the Stirling Observer to raise concerns over how long any repair works will take. They said: “How long will it take to repair? We are a gateway village to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
“It’s a school bus route to Balfron and it’s a main gritting route for the winter months, which usually start in mid-October.
“This will seriously affect the local business’ especially a new one like our But & Ben Cafe and those trying to survive in this challenging economic time.”
It’s the third local closure in west Stirlingshire in recent months.
In May this year,the Stirling Observer told how farmers and HGV drivers were facing a 19-mile diversion after part of a bridge on a rural road outside Balfron collapsed, closing the route.
Branshogle Bridge on the B818 partially collapsed back in March but consultants for Stirling Council fear that “a further collapse is likely”, resulting in a full closure.
The closure meant that lorries looking to head along the route between Balfron and Fintry now must take a lengthy detour via Buchlyvie, Arnprior and Kippen.
Last week, we told how another bridge on the outskirts of Balfron was forced to close after a massive fracture of a water pipe which carries supplies from Loch Katrine to Glasgow.
Ballochruin bridge was out of bounds as Scottish Water carried out repairs to a section of the pipeline which burst there last month.
The structure, on the Ballochruin Road, C54, closed after one of the large cast-iron water main pipes fractured.
The road runs from Balfron Station to Boquhan and crosses the Endrick at Ballochruin bridge. The pipe burst, adjacent to the bridge, has caused the road surface to subside.