MOTORISTS FACED long delays as the busy Friarton Bridge near Perth was restricted to one lane following an accident yesterday.

Police said the parapet on the Dundee-bound lane was badly damaged in a two-car collision early in the morning. It was initially feared that the lane could be closed for several days but by last night all the necessary repair work had been done.

The 5am accident did not result in any injuries.

“The accident seems to have been due to the bad weather,” a police spokes-man said. “The incident itself was not too serious and nobody was injured—it was damage to the parapet that forced the lane closure.”

Traffic was heavier than normal in Perth yesterday, particularly in the Bridgend and Dundee Road areas, as some drivers chose to pass through town rather than take the bypass which incorporates Friarton Bridge.

A spokesman for trunk road contractors Bear Scotland said the damaged parapet was quickly assessed by an engineer. “A specialist engineer visited the bridge and we were able to carry out all the required work relatively quickly,” he said.

Meanwhile, despite yesterday morning’s fresh covering of snow, police did not report any particular problems on the roads of Perth and Kinross.

“Perth itself seems to be have borne the brunt of the snow on this occasion,” said a spokesman.

“There was a light dusting in most areas but basically local roads were not too bad and drivers coped pretty well with the prevailing conditions.

“As is always the case with low temperatures and snow, we asked drivers to allow extra time for their journeys,” the spokesman added.

Most of the snow in the Fair City had melted by yesterday evening.