Bridge repairs to shift to night after completion date slips again

Bear Scotland engineers have been carrying out a £1.5 million refurbishment of the bridge since last August.

But the harsh winter months caused the original completion date to slip into May and, earlier this week, the date was pushed back yet again – this time to June 8.

The delays have led to frustration for thousands of motorists who have to contend with reduced speed limits and traffic lights during their daily commute over the crossing.

“Works started last August for six months we were told,” said one “very frustrated daily user of the bridge”.

Apologising for the continued delays, a spokesperson for Bear Scotland said its contractors were looking to switch to overnight work from “mid-May” in a bid to ease disruption and said the final stages of the work are “expected to be completed by the end of this month”.

The spokesman added: “Unfortunately the adverse weather conditions this winter hampered some elements of the project, including high winds preventing teams from working safely beneath the bridge deck and sub-zero temperatures limiting the concrete operations from taking place when planned.”

They added that more details about the overnight works will be publicised nearer the time.

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