Concerns have been raised that attempts to protect a Moray bridge diversion route from flooding may be hit with complications.
The Foth’s Burn bridge south of Elgin has already been closed for more than a year with permanent repairs not due until 2024.
Moray Council has already committed to protecting the diversion route from Birnie by building up road levels and completing resurfacing to minimise the impact of bad weather.
However, concerns have been raised that the project may be quite lengthy due to permissions being required from surrounding landowners.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead is now seeking talks with Moray Council to discuss fears from locals about the impact of winter weather.
He said: “I’m aware the council has plans to drain and resurface Rashcrook Road, which will hopefully minimise the risk of heavy flooding in the future, and I of course welcome those plans.
“However, this isn’t straightforward and the need to get permissions from landowners to carry out the work means it will take some time to complete, and in the meantime many residents are concerned about their only access being via minor roads that are often not gritted and aren’t ideal for that volume of traffic.
“This situation is clearly causing local residents a great deal of anxiety and so I’ve sought a meeting with the Moray Council to discuss the residents’ concerns and explore what steps can be taken to alleviate the traffic issues in the area.”
