A £1 million race against time to pull down a crumbling Mearns bridge will get under way on Christmas Eve.
The 170-year-old Abbeyton Bridge just north of Fordoun – also known locally as the Cocketty Bridge – carried the B966 across the rail line had fallen into such a state of disrepair it was threatening the safety of trains.
The bridge was closed in July after inspections found serious structural failings in the stonework and emergency measures were agreed by councillors so the work could take place in the interest of safety.
A specialist contractor has been brought in to work alongside council engineers to dismantle the crossing.
Work will start at 10pm on Christmas Eve after the last train of the day and will continue on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when no services are running.
The operation is due to be completed in time for the railway returning to normal service on Thursday.
Mearns SNP councillor Leigh Wilson said: “It is important the bridge comes down over those two days, incurring minimum disruptions for both travellers and taxpayers’ money.
“I have sought assurances from the structural engineers that the bridge will be coming down over Christmas, even in potentially challenging circumstances.
“We have to be grateful to the workmen who are going to be working hard to finish this job over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and I would put on record my thanks to them for doing the work over the festive period – they know it is absolutely essential.”
The cost of the demolition alone is expected to be in the region of £1m, more than one-third of the council’s £2.8m annual budget for bridges and other structures.
The works were scheduled over Christmas while services aren’t running because an emergency closure of the railway would have cost around £1-3 million per day to cover disruption.
At this time no decision has been taken on whether or not Abbeyton Bridge should be replaced.
Aberdeenshire Council said its primary focus had been the safety of rail users.
Significant investment would be required to replace the bridge and the authority said that would have to be considered in the context of current budget provision.
The council has thousands of ageing crossings across the region, a number of which require repairs, including Gairnshiel Bridge in Deeside and Spittal Bridge on Cairn O’Mount.
