Major refurbishment of the A6091 Galafoot Bridge is now expected to run until late January 2027, with the crossing remaining closed to eastbound traffic, after engineers discovered the concrete deck beneath the road was in far worse condition than anticipated.

Transport Scotland's operating company BEAR Scotland is delivering the scheme, which covers resurfacing of the carriageway and footpaths, renewal of waterproofing, concrete repairs, parapet improvements, and maintenance on the underside of the structure.

Since 5 October the bridge has operated one-way to westbound traffic only, allowing the eastbound surfacing and waterproofing to be removed and concrete repairs to be undertaken.

David Bishop, BEAR Scotland's South East Bridges Manager, said: "The concrete deck slab under the road surfacing on Galafoot Bridge has been found to be in much worse condition than estimated.

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"There was always some uncertainty over what we would find once we removed the existing road surface, however there is more than three times as much concrete requiring repairs as originally anticipated.

"This additional concrete repair area will increase the duration of the works. We've been working with our contractors to identify ways of accelerating the works, including bringing in additional resources, however there are still significant unknowns including the condition of the concrete under the westbound carriageway and the impact of weather over the weeks ahead.

"Assuming the deck under the other half of the bridge is in similar condition, and we experience weather that would typically be expected during November and December, it is likely that works will need to continue until the end of January 2027.

"We appreciate that this is an unwelcome message for local people and motorists who use the route, however it is essential that these repairs are completed thoroughly in order to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge and minimise the need for repeated future bridge closures.

"We're grateful for everyone's understanding and will issue further updates as the project progresses."

Further details, including maps and video, are available at www.bearscot.com/galafoot, which will be kept up to date with any changes to the programme.