One year on and Highland Council says old A9 bridge will not open for 'foreseeable future'
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Highland Council has said that a road bridge on the old A9 at the Slochd will remain closed for the foreseeable future because it is in poorer condition than first thought.
The Slochd Cottages Railway Bridge on the U2400 road between Blackmount and the Slochd was closed without warning a year ago because of concerns it could collapse onto the main Highland rail line below.
The structure was deemed unsound due to it being used by HGVs using the route as a diversion following accidents on the nearby A9 despite a three-tonne weight limit being in place.
Residents in the small community are frustrated with the latest announcement – having waited 12 months to learn of the bridge’s fate.
A council spokesperson told the Strathy: “The bridge was closed following a traffic survey showing that vehicles in excess of the 3T weight limit were using the bridge on a regular basis.
“This was exacerbated when the A9 was closed following an accident and a significant number of HGVs used the bridge.
“The decision to close the bridge was an emergency one, on the basis of the high risk of collapse due to repeated use by vehicles in excess of the weight limit, the likely mode of collapse being sudden and without warning, and the very high consequences of collapse of the structure onto the Highland main line.
“Subsequently, council engineers have carried out an inspection and re-assessment of the structure to investigate whether the 3T weight limit is correct, and to ascertain exactly which parts of the structure are under strength.
“The re-assessment has been checked by an independent engineer. We now know that the structure is weaker than previously assumed, and is not currently safe to carry any traffic load.
“Given the risk to the mainline railway below, we must therefore keep the bridge closed.
“Strengthening the structure to allow reopening is possible and we are currently investigating the cost of doing so.
“It will entail extensive temporary works and can only be carried out when trains are not running – overnight or during weekend closures of the railway.
“As it stands, the council has very limited funding to carry out the necessary repairs.
“As such, it is likely the bridge will remain closed for the foreseeable future. The bridge has been added to the prioritised list of structures across Highland that are requiring work.
The closure means Slochd residents have to cross the busy A9 on a notorious stretch of the road rather than using the old A9 to head south.
Local Liz Bishop said: “They are talking now about having it open for when they do the dualling of the A9 – I’ll not be alive by then. It is going to be a while.
“It is okay if we are heading north as that remains the same but going south means we have to sit at the junction with traffic going by really, really fast.
“We can sit there for minutes and minutes when the traffic is heavy to cross the (single) carriageway. They are marking in the middle of the road but nobody heeds them.
“A lot of the trees and bushes (looking south) need to be cut away meaning the visibility is currently poor.
“I feel terrible for the two local families who have to take their children to school in Carrbridge this way every morning and then back again.”
Closure of the bridge means traffic in the event of a road accident in the vicinity would have to make lengthy diversions via Farr or Lochindorb.
The bridge can still be used by pedestrians and cyclists but is blocked off to vehicles by concrete blocks.
• There is better news on another local bridge closure – at the Dava.
The crossing on the A939 Nairn-Grantown road remains closed to all traffic after it was struck by a car on September 15.
A council spokesperson said: “The procurement of the repairs to Dava Bridge is under way and we expect to appoint a contractor within the next couple of weeks.
“Once appointed, the contractor will provide a firmer programme for the repairs and this will be communicated in due course.”
