Angus commuters are preparing for weeks of delays early next year with the closure of Brechin Bridge as part of the town’s multi-million-pound flood prevention scheme.
The closure of the crossing to the A933 Brechin to Arbroath road will allow new ducts to be installed, along with further drainage work at East Mill Road as part of the major, ongoing civil engineering project, scheduled for completion next spring.
News of the official diversion that will take drivers via Montrose has already been met with dismay. One regular user of the route said: “This will cause traffic chaos in Montrose at rush hour time and even if you get straight through, it will add an hour on to your daily commute.”
Work got under way in 2014 on the £16 million project, designed to provide a once-in-200-years-event level of defence. It features direct defences, embankments and flood walls, work on the Denburn culvert and upgrades to existing surface water draining systems.
Work on two of the three pumping stations is almost complete, with the bridge station part of the final phase.
A council spokesman said: “Brechin Bridge will be closed from mid-January 2016 for a period of seven weeks as work nears its scheduled completion date in March. There will be no vehicular access across the bridge during this time. “As a result, it will be necessary to divert traffic via Montrose to get to and from Arbroath.
“Clearly, more local traffic may wish to use alternative routes in the area but these will not be signposted as they will not be a part of the official diversion route.”
Councillor Jeanette Gaul, vice-convener of communities, said: “The temporary closure of Brechin Bridge comes on the back of an already challenging traffic management plan for the scheme.
“The project delivery team are acutely aware of the potential inconvenience this may cause and wish to give advance notice to local residents, as well as people from other burgh towns with direct links to Brechin Bridge.
“These works are crucial in ensuring the future flood protection of residents and property in Brechin and we are very grateful for their patience and understanding.”