Motorists faced “nightmare” diversions after two key bridges across the River Dee closed at the weekend to allow for work to the Aberdeen bypass.
The B979 Netherley Road at Milltimber Brae, which includes the Maryculter bridge, was closed to traffic until 6am this morning to allow for work on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).
However, as a result the Park Bridge in neighbouring Drumoak also had to be closed to “avoid potential overloading” on the historic structure.
This forced residents of Drumoak to either take a four-mile detour to Crathes to access the South Deeside Road – adding roughly nine-miles to their journey – or to take the North Deeside Road if travelling south.
Others in Deeside were forced to brave back roads, covered in snow and ice on Sunday morning, as a result of the closures.
Traffic was seen to build up on the North Deeside Road in Cults on Saturday as the traffic restrictions, which were put into effect last Friday, took hold.
Park Bridge – which has a three-tonnes weight limit and had to be repaired following flood damage caused by Storm Frank last year – was also closed until this morning.
Last night chairman of the Crathes, Drumoak and Durris Community Council, David Reaich, said: “It is a bit of a nightmare when they close both. Park Bridge has obviously got some restrictions around it.
“I think what is frustrating is we don’t understand a lot of the time the reasons why Park Bridge is closed.
“It just seems to come out of the blue that they close both. We had friend who came up yesterday and had to drive an extra five miles.”
He called for more information to be issued to the public on future closures of both bridges.
Lower Deeside SNP councillor, Graeme Clark, said: “If we were to allow the Park Bridge to be open at the same time the concentration of traffic would not be good for the bridge.
“The reason there is a three-tonne weight limit is to stop tractors and trailers going over there.
“It is a pain, but the AWPR is a priority. It is a scunner but it is only for a couple of days.”
An Aberdeenshire Council statement on the closure said its structures team had to take “preventative steps to avoid potential overloading on Park Bridge, due to the Maryculter Bridge closure for the AWPR works”.
Aberdeen residents were told to use South Anderson Drive as an alternative to Milltimber Brae if travelling south.
Motorists are also continuing to face hold-ups at the Rob Roy Bridge in Culter, which is being controlled by traffic lights for repairs.
