Drivers face ten weeks of traffic disruption as bridge repairs begin

Drivers in Inverness face up to ten weeks of disruption as essential repairs begin on the city’s main bridge over the River Ness.

A £1.8m project to revamp and resurface the crossing was declared a priority by Highland Council last year.

Councillors will be updated next month on the full extent of work required.

The council’s Liberal Democrat opposition leader, Alasdair Christie, said: “What the administration should have done is – back in November 2024, when this first came out – was to have been open, honest and transparent about the necessary works, the length of time of closure and also what times of year this should be carried out.

“There’s still time for that to happen and I would call upon them to actually do that. Many people were totally unaware until this week that the plan was even in place.”

For the administration, senior SNP councillor Ken Gowans said: “We’ve been completely transparent with this. It was first signalled in 2023 and then again in 2024.

“The works that we’re doing are part of our regular, routine maintenance to ensure that bridges are safe for everyone.

“And, of course, there’s going to be the inevitable disruption when that happens and that’s why we’re now giving people ample notice.”

A report to Highland Council’s economy and infrastructure committee in November last year ranked Ness Bridge fifth in a scoring index in its major bridges’ appendix.

The cost estimate at that time was £1.8m. The works contract is in the design phase.

When the project is ready it will become the next “named” capital bridge and will proceed to construction, which is likely to be next year or in 2027.

Work will include re-waterproofing and resurfacing of the bridge deck, which will require traffic management including a lane closure.

Further assessment is underway to determine what other maintenance work may be required.

The current estimated timescale for the work is ten weeks. The position will be updated in a committee report in November.

Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country