SNP candidate and councillor commend Aboyne bridge action
11/12/23
The SNP candidate for Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine has joined with the local councillor for Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside to commend Aberdeenshire Council’s quick action in addressing the problems with Aboyne bridge.
The B968 crossing over the Dee at Aboyne has been closed since last month.
The council has confirmed that investigations show significant structural issues with the entire top deck of the bridge damaged through 80 and more years of freeze and thaw, rendering it dangerous. The council further advised that a tender has gone out for specialist consultancy to help with options going forward and hopes to hear more before Christmas.
Glen Reynolds, who will contest West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine for the SNP at the next UK general election, said: “Over the weekend, I was with local Aberdeenshire councillor Anouk Kloppert at Aboyne bridge where we took the opportunity to understand the impacts the current closure is having on residents.
“Both Councillor Kloppert and I commend the speedy attention to this emergency situation by council officers, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of motorists in light of a fast moving development.
“I appreciate we are at an early stage, but from community council meetings I have attended to discussions and calls from local residents, it is clear that the community needs reassurances around realistic timescales surrounding some initial proposals to mitigate the impact on residents, shops and businesses.
“That impact is significant and involves traffic flow in and out of the town and surrounding villages; it also hits a network of local stakeholders, not least Aboyne Primary and Academy. This is why both Councillor Kloppert and myself were glad to hear that council officers are getting in touch with community groups to set up meetings with affected residents.
“We are also both united in voicing our concerns over the necessity to ensure that social care and health workers are supported in all their endeavours to ensure that the level of care is maintained for all those affected by the bridge closure.”
Noting the latest council briefing on the bridge’s structural deterioration, Councillor Kloppert said: “This is very much what may have been happening throughout the entire Aberdeenshire network of bridges, likely accelerated by climate change. Flooding, storms and uncertainty surrounding severe weather events need to be planned for – and incorporated into the council’s system of bridge inspection and maintenance.
“In the circumstances, I can understand the necessity of the current diversion in place, but this situation has to be subject to constant monitoring and all options must be on the table.”
Currently, the bridge remains in use for pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised forms of transport only.