Bollards finally being installed on Perth Bridge for safety

Bollards are now being installed on Perth Bridge after months of hurdles.

They have been installed as part of efforts to prevent vehicles mounting the kerb and causing irreparable damage.

Councillor Peter Barrett, of the Perth City Centre ward welcomed the works, which he described as a major safety improvement.

He said: “The bollards will ensure that the pavement is not subject to excessive weight loads, which was a concern when drivers tried to make way for blue-light vehicles.

“Road safety for both pedestrians and drivers will be improved significantly.”

He added: “The bollards are sympathetically designed in keeping with the bridge, which is a listed structure, and also maximise the pavement width for pedestrians.”

Works to install them began in May of this year, but were not completed.

The bridge was closed to traffic on May 7 for two weeks, but on reopening the works were left unfinished.

This led to council bosses coming under fire due to the lack of progress, despite the disruption.

But Perth and Kinross Council said at the time it had to scrap the project because the depths below the pavement were “not as drawings of the bridge had led us to believe”.

A second attempt to complete the works was launched two months later in July, when the council made a fresh bid for the £75,000 project.

Restrictions were placed on the crossing on July 8 – seven weeks after it was shut for a fortnight.

Councillor Barrett added that pediment works are still ongoing on the bridge.