Moray Council approves £250k flood risk management and £1.7m bridge funding

The Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability Committee also agreed to recommendations to carry forward funding from 2020/21 where covid-19 caused delays to bridge repair work or maintenance.

Maintenance was confirmed of the flood schemes in Aberlour, Rothes, Elgin, Forres, Dallas, Newmill and Lhanbryde with the completion of Garmouth and Elgin automated signs; completion of Flood Model updates; replacement of life expired telemetry system and maintenance work to the Tyock Culvert all agreed.

Moray Council’s road network includes 376 bridges and 160 retaining walls with a number of them damaged by vehicle collisions in 2020/21, seven of them hit-and-run. The cost of repair work ranged between £1,684 and £17,915 with an average spend of £7,202 at each bridge.

A total of £1, 676,450 will be spent on road and footbridges over the coming year, including strengthening and refurbishment of Shougle Bridge; refurbishment and waterproofing at Dykeside Bridge; waterproofing at Nether Tomdow, Willowbank and Culach Burn Bridges; and collision repairs to Foths Bridge. A replacement for the Sanquahar Loch and other footbridges in Forres was also confirmed.

Chair of the Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability Committee, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, said: “Maintaining the road bridge network represents a significant annual cost for the council and it’s concerning to note so many hit-and-run incidents on our bridges. The cost to repair these can’t be recovered and is costing the council tens of thousands of pounds every year. I thank residents who continue to exercise caution when driving on our road bridge network and appreciate their responsibility in taking care of the network.

“Furthermore, it’s positive to see the replacement of footbridges in Forres to allow continued access to a number of walking routes in the area.”