The contractor behind repair works to the Union Bridge in Keith are to start working weekends as they scramble to finish the £500,000 project by the end of this month.
In a response to a letter from Buckie-based MSP Tim Eagle, Amey, which operates the North East trunk road network, revealed it has received dispensation from the planning authority to work Saturdays and Sundays as part of their next phase of works.
The roads firm hopes working weekends will “make up for lost time” on the site.
Steel works will be delivered next week which have been prepared off site, but Amey warned issues such as a major gas leak, adverse weather conditions or environmental/ecological issues could set the completion date back even further.
Temporary traffic lights have been in place at the bridge since July last year when a retaining wall fell into the River Isla.
Amey began repairs at the start of March, with the original aim of having them finished by mid-May, but the works have been delayed on multiple occasions and have now been given a July finishing date.
Buckie-based Scottish Conservative MSP Tim Eagle said: “I welcome the confirmation that weekend work will now be starting on Union Bridge in Keith, but this should have happened well before now.
“There really are now no excuses for any more delays and I hope that by working on weekends, Amey can finally meet its completion date of later this month.
“The misery these works have caused for both residents and businesses cannot be understated – it really has been a year of hell for the people of Keith.
“Yet throughout this, the Scottish Government, which is responsible for the A96 and the bridge, has washed its hands of any responsibility, and turned a blind eye to the negative impact this has caused Keith.
“Businesses, which have suffered a devastating decline in trade from this, should be compensated for these delays, but at the very least, the town deserves these temporary traffic lights to be lifted and for the work to finally be finished as soon as possible.
“That is why I will continue to ask Amey for regular updates to guarantee that there will be no further delays to this project.”
In a response to Tim Eagle MSP, an Amey spokesman said: “While the contractor has encountered some difficulties with the installation of their approved temporary works, we have been continuing with the preparation of steel works off site which will be delivered next week to allow progress to continue with the next phase of the programme.
“We have received dispensation from the planning authority to carry out weekend working which will form part of the next phase and we are exploring options to remove the temporary traffic lights at the earliest possible opportunity providing it does not compromise any risks to road users, the community or our own teams on site. This can only be fully considered once the temporary works have been fully installed and additional checks are carried out.”
