Historic cobbles in a Montrose street won’t be ending up in the skip.
Although cobbles can be difficult to walk on they are treasured as part of the nation’s heritage.
Angus Council are lifting and re-laying the stones in Murray Lane alongside a new footpath to make it easier for pedestrians to negotiate.
The announcement will allay fears that part of the town’s heritage would be ripped up and lost forever once work started to make the lane safer.
Debate was raging on local message boards on social media about what would happen to the cobbles when news emerged they were now being lifted.
An Angus Council spokesman said: “The cobbles in Murray Street, which lies within a conservation area, are being re-laid alongside a new footpath, which will make it easier for pedestrians to walk along.
“They were in a poor state of repair following various utility works in the past year.
“Work started on October 25 and will take nine weeks to complete.”
Montrose councillor David May said he was “delighted “that the cobbles are to be lifted and re-laid.
He said: “It has been increasingly difficult for pedestrians, especially those who are older or visually impaired, to get along the lane.
“It is also the case that flat setts, not the rounded cobbles, will be laid for the route between the car park and access to Murray Street which will provide easier access for disabled users.”
Councils across the UK have ripped up or paved over acres of traditional cobblestones from streets, amid fears of compensation claims from people who trip over on them.
Local authorities faced with the prospect of further claims decided that enough is enough and ripped up or paved over the traditional surfaces.
Historian David Orr, from Kirriemuir, said he could relate to the council’s past record on cobbles.
He said: “Somewhere there is a picture of the firm of Briggs of Dundee laying tar over the Kirrie cobbles in 1930.
“But when the council decided to replace the setts circa 1990 they lifted the tar and the cobbles below as they didn’t know they were there only to replace them with other cobbles they had lifted in Brechin.
“These cobbles were then lifted and re-laid in 2015 as they had been poorly installed in 1990.
“The public debate of those who like the cobbles and the cyclists who say they are a dangerous anachronism go on.
“No doubt the Montrose views are no different but it’s a story to run and run.”
