Cloddach Bridge near Elgin - Labour yet to commit to previous Tory government pledge to replace structure at Birnie
Doubt has been cast over whether a £1.5 million Westminster pledge to help replace a road bridge in Moray will be forthcoming.
Jeremy Hunt, the last Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, made a surprise commitment in his 2023 budget towards Cloddach bridge at Birnie, near Elgin. However it has been revealed that the pledge was not signed off by the Treasury before the Tories’ defeat at the General Election.
A Moray Council meeting was told today that the new Labour government had not yet made a decision about the funding for the bridge, which has been closed to vehicles for the past two years.
This comes against a background where Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned that October’s budget will be “painful” due to the UK’s economic “black hole”.
Replacing Cloddach bridge had been a low priority until Mr Hunt’s announcement.
Moray Council subsequently voted by a narrow margin to approve £2.74million from its own coffers to construct a new bridge – the cost of which has been estimated at more than £4 million.
It sent a business case on April 11 to the UK Government for approval.
Nicola Moss, head of environmental and commercial services, told today’s council meeting that she then made contact at the end of July to seek an update.
However, she was told a firm position would not be reached until at least September.
The council vote meant higher priority work on other crossings, including the Bishopmill bridge near Elgin’s Cooper Park, had to be postponed.
Cloddach bridge was repeatedly hit by drivers in the months before it was closed to vehicles.
