Closing crumbling road bridge will hit cafe coffers

Safety fears: 168-year-old crossing on the brink of falling on to railway

A creaking 168-year-old bridge could be demolished amid fears that repeated use by heavy vehicles has left it on the brink of crumbling on to railway tracks underneath.

The Abbeyton bridge, on the B966 Castleton to Fettercairn road near Fordoun, will be sealed off for an unknown time from today.

Aberdeenshire Council has acknowledged the move will “impact on road users” and could have a negative effect on takings at nearby Castleton Farm Shop.

The shop, which sells local produce and has a popular cafe attached, will still be reachable from the south for motorists who follow a diversion route for 20 miles.

Shop manager Anna Mitchell predicted the closure would have “an effect on trade” as the closed junction is next to a sign advertising the business.

However, she added that the local authority had agreed to move the sign so it will be visible to drivers using diversion routes.

A one-way system was previously introduced to reduce strain on bridge, but a recent assessment of its condition concluded that it had not prevented it from falling deeper into disrepair. There are now fears it could collapse on to the rail line linking Aberdeen with Dundee.

The situation has been attributed to its “ongoing use by heavy vehicles”. Aberdeenshire Council considered introducing a weight limit, but decided that would be impossible to enforce properly.

After the bridge closes, a “remote monitoring system” will be installed to keep track of and highlight any further deterioration.

A statement from the council confirmed there is “no timescale for the reopening of the crossing at this stage”.

Signs will be put in place to advise motorists of diversions with an alternative route in place via the C3K Old Aberdeen Road heading north. Southbound, the diversion will go along the A90T to the Stracathro flyover, back on to the A90T and then on to the C3K Old Aberdeen Road.