Aberdeenshire Council will host a public drop-in event in Fordoun next week (27 May) to discuss the situation relating to local roads, which have been affected by bridge closures.

Abbeyton Bridge was demolished at Christmas in the interest of public safety and Fordoun Station Railway Bridge has been closed since November due to the collapse of a retaining wall.

The collapsed wall led to subsidence of the carriageway and subsequent closure of the road over the railway bridge.

The identification of weak edge beams on the bridge, owned by Network Rail, means that once the wall is rebuilt the road width will need to be reduced to a single lane to protect the bridge, with vehicle movements controlled by traffic lights.

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Council officers want to share the detail of this solution to reopen the road with the community. An update will also be given on the search for potential funding for a new bridge at Abbeyton.

Aberdeenshire Council's Bridges Manager, Donald MacPherson, said: "Prioritisation of bridge replacements is an ongoing process and there are a range of bridges throughout Aberdeenshire which require attention, each competing for available resources.

"This meeting is a chance to share our work to date with the local community and show what the roads network will look like in different scenarios.

"We expect to spend around £150,000 providing a solution to reopen the road at Fordoun Station Railway Bridge."

The public drop in event will take place at Fordoun Memorial Hall on Monday, 27 May from 3-7pm.