Work begins on £7.4m replacement of Clyde Bridge, South Lanarkshire Council confirms

Work has started on replacing Clyde Bridge after a company was awarded the contract by South Lanarkshire Council.

The £7.4m replacement of the structure on Pettinain Road in Lanark will be completed by Eric Wright Civil Engineering (EWCE)

All pre-cast concrete piles for the new bridge substructure have been done by specialist contractors Aarsleff and engineering experts Mabey Bridge has also been appointed by EWCE to manufacture and install the main bridge superstructure which will span 90 metres over the River Clyde.

Speaking about the contract, Diane Bourne, managing director at Eric Wright Civil Engineering, said: “This bridge has been in desperate need of replacement for many years, and we are delighted to have been appointed and to mark the start of delivering this much-needed local infrastructure which will benefit the community for decades to come.”

The existing bridge was built in 1912 and was an early example of reinforced concrete bridge structure in Scotland, but a three-tonne weight limit was imposed for a number of years and it was eventually closed to traffic in August 2018 for safety reasons.

When the new bridge is constructed, the 90-metre single span will be launched across the river from the south side.

The new bridge will be supported by reinforced concrete abutments which are supported by 64 driven concrete piles to provide maximum stability and improved weight bearing.

Once the new bridge has been completed, the existing bridge will be demolished and removed from the site.

A range of community events were held before Easter to advise the local community of the ongoing programme of works.

Chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, councillor Robert Brown (Rutherglen South), said: “It’s great news that work has started on the new Clyde Bridge.

“This will reinstate an important part of our road network and see the end of the current diversion route, which can add significant time and miles onto journeys, for road users.”