Queen’s Bridge in Perth to close as Storm Babet arrives

Floodgates will be installed on the bridge on Thursday morning.

By Kieran Webster

October 18 2023, 5:59pm

Work to prevent previous flooding in Perth. Image: Stuart Cowper

The Queen’s Bridge in Perth is to close as the council prepares for Storm Babet.

Drivers and pedestrians will not be able to use the bridge after 9.30am on Thursday as floodgates are installed.

Perth and Kinross Council have not confirmed when the bridge will reopen but will monitor the situation ahead of the amber warning for heavy rain.

Perth and Kinross Council prepares for Storm Babet

The council apologised for the early closure but said it was necessary to install the gates before the worst of the weather hit – with a yellow warning for wind also in force on Thursday.

Conditions will be monitored throughout the storm and the bridge will be reopened when safe to do so.

All other floodgates in the city are closed and will remain so until the storm has passed.

High water at the River Tay in Perth — The River Tay at Perth’s Queen’s Bridge. Image: Stuart Cowper

The preparation comes less than a fortnight after Perthshire suffered heavy rainfall and flooding.

The local authority faced criticism after it failed to close floodgates on the North Inch.

Meanwhile, in Angus, schools are to shut early on Thursday and all day on Friday after the region was issued a rare red weather warning for heavy rain.