Council says its 'covered' for repairs to storm-hit Renfrew Bridge amid ongoing closure

Renfrewshire Council believes it is “covered” for the damage inflicted on Renfrew Bridge during Storm Boelo that has forced it to close for months.

The local authority has been receiving legal and insurance advice in the wake of the impact caused by water ingress at one of the two plant rooms.

A senior officer shared more information at Monday’s special council meeting, called by the Labour group, as he addressed a question about liability.

Mark Conaghan, head of corporate governance, said: “There are ongoing meetings with the contractors and also our insurers who insure us against damage to property.

“The bridge is effectively insured twice. We are insured for matters arising from defects and we are insured in more general terms against general damage, so that includes weather-related damage.

“That comes with the benefit that irrespective of what ultimately is established here, whether this is simply flood-related or whether it is a design defect, the council has cover.

“It does complicate matters because we are having to deal with two insurers, rather than one, and there will obviously be discussions as to which of those two insurers are ultimately liable.

“That’s part of the reasons for the ongoing meetings and we are meeting with them weekly – the last meeting was on Friday. I attended that meeting, I wasn’t at the previous meeting.

“Those investigations are still ongoing in respect of the exact cause.”

The 184-metre twin-leaf bridge across the River Clyde, which connects Renfrew with Yoker, marked its one-year anniversary in May.

But the local authority confirmed on Wednesday, October 28, it needed to shut to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians during a period of investigation and remediation, while ensuring river traffic can operate normally.

An update was provided in a report to last Wednesday’s infrastructure, land and environment policy board, explaining only one plant room was affected.

It said: “There are two plant rooms at the Renfrew Bridge, one on the Renfrew side and one on the Yoker side of the bridge.

“They are built to the same specification and height levels, the river level was the same on both sides of the river during the storm, however only the plant room on the Renfrew side sustained any water ingress and associated damage.

“The plant rooms house the electronic systems controlling the bridge hydraulics which allows the bridge to open and close in a short period of time.

“These electronic systems within the Renfrew plant room have sustained significant water damage, requiring detailed root cause investigation, assessment of the scale of damage and associated remedial works.

“The bridge is within its two-year defects period and as such a contractual instruction has been issued under the contract for the contractor to source and identify any defects that could be responsible for the significant water ingress experienced in a single plant room in such a short period of time.

“Given this is a live contractual issue at present, there is a limit to the comments that can be made by officers at this current time.

“However, officers can advise the investigations into the incident have already commenced with further specialist investigations taking place this week and the council is being appropriately advised by external legal advisors and insurers to ensure the council’s interests are appropriately protected during this process.”

No further updates were available on the topic in the report to the special meeting held on Monday which said “investigations remain ongoing”.

The bridge was a focal part of the £117m Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project which aimed to open up work, health, education and leisure opportunities on both sides of the Clyde.

It has facilitated millions of crossings, with its closure coming as a blow to residents and businesses on both sides of the river.

Mr Conaghan added at the meeting: “From what I can see, we absolutely are in a position where we are covered for the damage but we just have to establish what the root cause of that was to decide which insurance policy is at play.”