Blow to repair storm damaged bridges campaign

A frustrated community who rallied together at a public meeting earlier this month to call for action to repair storm-damaged bridges, has been handed another blow to their campaign.

This comes as councillors are being urged not to progress repair plans in the King Edward area which was heavily affected by storms that stuck across Aberdeenshire back in September.

At December’s meeting of the Banff and Buchan Area committee, councillors rejected proposals by Aberdeenshire Council officers to not replace the six collapsed bridges.

Replacing Bridge of Gorrachie, Bridge of Fortrie, Bruntyards, Millcroft, Mill of Balmaud and North Litterty would cost the local authority in the region of £1.26 million according to the council.

Councillors will meet on Thursday at the Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee to discuss the issue.

A report that will be presented to council officials has recommended that the six damaged crossings not be repaired at this time.

However, officers have said that the Gorrachie and Bruntyards bridges are "top priorities for replacement if and when the money becomes available.

The report reads that reopening the two bridges would make up for the loss of another which was damaged beyond repair.

Officers added that what remains of the damaged bridges will need to be “stabilised or fully demolished” at some point.

But it added that there is no “identified” funding for this work.

The public meeting that was held at the King Edward Community Hall two weeks ago attracted more than 75 locals that expressed their anger at lack of action from the council and raised a variety of concerns.

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