A welding failure on a Glenrothes bridge should present no cause for concern to road users, it has been claimed.
Fife Council has moved to reassure commuters that repairs to the River Leven Bridge are necessary but not integral to the safety of the structure after appealing for tenders to put themselves forward for the work.
Water is understood to have penetrated one of the supporting cables for the bridge after a plastic weld failed, leaving it exposed to the elements.
Drivers who use the B969, one of the town’s busiest roads, will face disruption when a contractor is appointed, with the repair work likely to force the road to close when it gets under way.
Allan Houliston, consultant engineer with the local authority’s transportation services department, said: “The protective cable sheath on the bridge has slipped down the cable due to a plastic weld failure.
“This is not a structural weld failure and is not serious. However, as water is now penetrating into the cable it is collecting at the bottom anchorage.
“This has potential to cause damage and so the problem needs to be rectified.”
As part of the planned repairs, it is proposed that a mechanical clamp will be installed to ensure the integrity of the connection, should future weld failures occur.
The council is estimating that the project will cost in the region of £50,000 Mr Houliston added: “The repair work is generally a simple procedure but the main challenge is that the repair is 50 metres above the carriageway.
“The road will need to be closed to allow access to the area. It is not possible to determine how long the bridge will be closed as the work is very much weather-dependant.
“Work will have to stop if the wind exceeds 25mph.”
The bridge was opened in 1995 to carry the Western Distributor Road through Glenrothes. It was one of the last major projects overseen by the Glenrothes Development Corporation before it was wound up later that year.