Cloddach Bridge a step closer to reopening as Moray councillors agree to fund business case
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A MORAY bridge that has been closed to traffic for 20 months is on track to be reopened after councillors agreed to fund a full business case.
Cloddach Bridge, near Birnie, was closed in February 2022 due to structural damage. Funding of £1.5 million for the bridge was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the UK Government's spring budget in March 2023.
However, the cash is subject to matched-funding and a full business case being produced, which council officers say will cost £187,000. Around £120,000 of this total has been sourced by Heldon Community Council.
Conservative councillors argued that it would be "mad" to reject the UK Government funding, but, as Cloddach Bridge is not one of Moray Council's priority bridges, SNP and Labour councillors expressed fears that funding would be taken away from projects of higher importance.
A decision had to be made today in order for the business case to be completed before the UK Government's deadline of June 14, 2024.
Councillor Bridget Mustard (Heldon and Laich, Conservative) put forward a motion to fund the business case – contrary to the council officers' recommendation – and was seconded by Cllr Macrae (Fochabers-Lhanbryde). The motion passed by 14 votes to 12.
Cllr Mustard said: "This is the most important issue Heldon Community Council has faced in 10 years.
"They are committed to helping the council open the bridge and have raised £120,000 to put forward the full business case.
"This is an indication to their commitment to raising money for the business case, but also to seeking matched-funding for the £1.5 million.
"I appreciate bridge prioritisation, but it's dynamic and it's important we react to emerging issues and Cloddach Bridge is one of those."
Councillor Macrae (Conservative, Fochabers-Lhanbryde) added that the bridge had proven to be life-saving in recent memory.
"I know of a man who was blue lighted to Dr Gray's with sepsis who would not have survived had the ambulance gone a long way to him and a long way back to the hospital," he said. "He is alive today because of Cloddach Bridge."
However, some councillors were worried that projects – such as an adaptation plan for Garmouth and water surface works in Forres – would be affected by funding a low-priority bridge.
Councillor Neil Cameron (Heldon and Laich, SNP) backed council officers' original recommendation to reject creating the business case.
He said: "I was elected by the people of Heldon and Laich and, while I would love to see the bridge open tomorrow, we don't have the money, or officer time and there are bridges that are far more of a priority.
"Westminster haven't offered us £1.5 million – they have offered us £1.5 million if we get funding. We have other priorities."
Councillor Draeyk Van der Horn (Greens, Forres) also voted to reject creating the plan. He said: "We simply do not have the money and I'm concerned by the impact that delays, deferrals and cancellations would have on other projects identified as priorities.
"I'd love to be able to mend all the bridges and roads but we have to make difficult decisions."
Cloddach Bridge was originally built in 1905 and had a lifespan of between 100 and 120 years. It is used by more than 700 vehicles per day.
There are four options regarding the bridge's future – which range in cost. Keeping the bridge open for pedestrians and cyclists and maintaining it would cost £830,000 across its lifetime.
The other options are repairing the bridge at a cost of £4.3 million, creating an overbridge, which would cost between £3.6 and £3.9 million and creating a new bridge entirely for between £2.9 million and £3.6 million.
