A £1.1m bridge upgrade on the A82 is to start next month, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson announced today.

Transport Scotland recently awarded a contract to the ERDC Group Limited to undertake maintenance, strengthening and refurbishment works on the current bridge. The work, which will commence on 1 February, will widen the bridge as well as improve safety for road users.

Mr Stevenson said: "I am pleased to announce the contract award and start date of this project which is the latest in a number of upgrades scheduled for the A82, underpinning this Government’s commitment to investing in improvements on the route.

"This is the second bridge on the A82 to undergo enhancements this year already, and is one of a series of measures on the route. Future improvements will include road widening, climbing lanes and overtaking opportunities, lay-bys, junction improvements, hard strips and road alignments, between Tarbet and Inverarnan and Corran Ferry and Fort William.

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"This vital work will not only improve road conditions and safety on the A82, but also improve transport links to northern Scotland and our island communities."

The Stuckindroin bridge upgrade is expected to take six months to complete, and follows the start of works at Ba Bridge this January, which will see a new crossing finished by the beginning of 2011.

A mixture of safety, maintenance and project improvements are proposed for the A82 over the coming year. Some of the intended works for the route include verge safety fencing between Tarbet and Fort William, traffic signal improvements at Inverlochy Junction, a lighting replacement scheme at North Road, Fort William, and another bridge replacement scheme at Allt Chonoglais.

Due to the location of Stuckindroin bridge within the environmentally sensitive area of Loch Lomond National Park, extra care is being taken to plan these works in harmony with the diverse local ecology.

(GK/BMcC)