A community-owned Perthshire bridge will close daily to traffic for two weeks after drivers were accused of ignoring signs and putting workers lives in danger.
Logierait Bridge in Highland Perthshire is undergoing improvement works to the pedestrian footpath but it was hoped that it would remain open to most vehicles to avoid huge diversions.
The Logierait Bridge Company, which owns and runs the former railway bridge, had hoped to keep the single-lane bridge open to cars and small vans during the works but have been forced to abandon those plans as drivers of larger vehicles abused the restriction.
Kate Howie, treasurer of Logierait Bridge Company, said: “It was getting ridiculous and we’ve got to keep these guys safe.
“We’ve got men working on the bridge and we did want to keep it open for cars and small vans but we had people who didn’t want to go the long way around.
“They were endangering the workforce so we decided to close to protect the workers.
“We had hoped that folk would adhere to the guidance on the signs but sadly a few have disregarded this.”
The decision was taken after meetings between the contractors and bridge committee members over safety fears caused by large vehicles crossing the former railway bridge in close proximity to workers.
Around 200 vehicles cross the bridge every day and the nearest crossing of the River Tummel to the north is near Pitlochry and the River Tay to the south near Dunkeld.
The barriers will now be locked during the working hours of 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and Saturday from 8am to 12.30pm.
It will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.
Kate said: “We’re redoing the sidewalks after 20 years.
“We are just trying to make this wonderful bridge of ours fit for purpose and we were trying to lessen any inconvenience to our super band of subscribers and the wider community.”
Logierait Bridge is currently listed at Category A by Historic Scotland and considered of historic and architectural importance.
It was first opened opened in 1865 to carry trains on the Ballinluig to Aberfeldy line, which branched off the main Highland Line from Perth to Inverness.
In 1964, and after almost 100 years of use, the branch line was closed.
In 1194 the bridge was taken over by The Logierait Bridge Company.
