Funding sourced for Clyde Bridge

In a statement issued to Councillor Ian McAllan late this afternoon, council leader John Ross said that additional funding has been secured.

Ian said: “With increased funding in place the project can now move ahead with work hoped to begin this spring.

"This confirms the SNP administration’s 100 per cent commitment to this project, to the villages of Pettinain, Carstairs Junction and to the wider Clydesdale community.”

It follows weeks of campaigning by residents in Pettinain and Carstairs, the villages at either end of the bridge who have effectively been cut off from each other – facing a 12-mile detour at best – since the bridge closed in August 2018.

Local Councillor Eric Holford was among those campaigning for additional funding to be found to enable the project to go ahead as promised.

He was told three weeks ago that, as the project costs had more than doubled from an estimated £3.5 million to £7 million, the council had no option but to put it on hold.

So Eric, and the villagers in Pettinain and Carstairs, were delighted to hear today that additional funds had been sourced.

Eric said: “Following the pressure exerted by many in the community and by Councillor Alex Allison and myself, South Lanarkshire Council have today agreed additional funding to commence work on the Clyde Bridge in the spring.

“This information was embargoed till next week, pending sign off, but was released by the administration’s councillors, presumably desperate to recover some of the goodwill lost in their shocking announcement of two weeks ago.

“This sudden change is extremely welcome to the local communities, but it comes at the end of a period of unnecessary worry and it has taken a great deal of work and effort to bring about this volte face.”

A wee bit good news for a Friday night! Share your views by emailing [email protected].