Wednesday, June 24, 2015

White Bridge weight limit " unlikely to impact on this summer’s tourism season traffic"

From a Highland Council press release:

"The Highland Council is to consult the public on its intention to introduce an 18 Tonne maximum gross weight restriction at White Bridge on the B9090 Loch Flemington – Clephanton – Cawdor – Nairn Road.

White Bridge, spanning the River Nairn, is one the oldest bridges maintained by the Council and is a ‘Category A’ Listed structure. It has a humped vertical alignment and carries single file traffic in both directions, subject to traffic control signals.

The weight restriction is required following the recommendation contained within a recent structural assessment of the bridge.

The bridge’s condition is deteriorating and until the Council is able to identify, and be in a position to allocate significant amounts of funding required for repair, the bridge needs to be protected. At the same time, the bridge requires to be available to most traffic normally using this route.

The introduction of an 18 Tonne maximum gross weight restriction will minimise the number of heavy axle load vehicles crossing the bridge, regardless of whether or not they are laden. The only exemption will be for emergency service vehicles attending an emergency.

In order to affect the weight restriction a formal process is followed which includes public consultation on the impact of the proposed weight restriction and alternative routes for vehicles affected.

It is anticipated that the consultation and traffic restriction order process will take some months and is therefore unlikely to impact on this summer’s tourism season traffic.

The Council is also currently reviewing alternative bridging locations of the river adjacent to the White Bridge which includes identifying the necessary funding for a replacement bridge.

The Council will publicise details on any public consultations in due course."

Gurn thought for the evening. Where will an organisation that has to make cuts totalling £46 million over the next four years find around the money to repair the White Bridge or build a new bridge alongside it (a figure of £2 million has been suggested for that)?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

councillers expenses for the yer would more than cover the cost of repairs

Anonymous said...

£2 million pounds for a bridge? The army can build one in a few hours that will take tanks and heavy vehicles, so why not get them involved, and instead of taking many months to build, it could be there in days, and at a fraction of the cost. The poor Whitebridge is a lovely bridge and should be saved at all costs and sooner rather than later. Some of the vehicles using it are far too big for a 250 year old structure that was made for horse and cart.

Anonymous said...


the problem we'll face is the 18tonners will go via Nairn and choke up the town even more, and the current "bypass" ie, the backroad rat run that is Croy,Clephanton,Cawdor corridor, will face even more cars and fast speeding traffic because of it.....

all these problems will go away as soon as that lovely dual a96/bypass is built which will go according to schedule/plan and costing of course....

Anonymous said...

This is not an essential bridge in that there are other routes for heavier vehicles even if longer and not so convenient. I cannot see any plans for a new bridge being agreed in the current worsening economic climate

Anonymous said...

If £20 million can be found for the west ring road in Inverness and £7 to move the golf course then isn't it about time the rural network including this lifeline bridge got some support.

Anonymous said...

blow it up,it,s well past its use,in this day and age,a more suitable bridge should be in place,instead of holding onto ancient relics.
and if its been damaged by a car accident,surely the insurance company is liable to make good any repairs,

Anonymous said...

Years of neglect from our Inverness based council rulers. It is all coming home to roost. How many more vanity projects to get paid for in Inverness before other areas get their fair share?

Anonymous said...

9.17 Anon
Yawn - What did the Romans ever do for us?
We should perhaps make it a toll bridge and charge Sneckies a quid to come into Nairnshire and 2 quid to leave?