Burst water main under A96 near Lhanbryde forces road to be closed until Thursday

The A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road has been closed in Moray for up to three days due to extensive damage caused by a burst water main.

Scottish Water began work on fixing the leak on Tuesday with temporary traffic lights initially put up east of Lhanbryde to keep the traffic moving.

However, the damage caused has proved worse than initially feared, meaning a road closure is necessary to fix it – forcing road users on a 10-and-a-half mile detour.

It is understood the burst water main has eroded soil underneath the road with signs of “sinking” already evident on both sides of the carriageway.

Scottish Water crews have already turned off the supply in the affected pipe but need to dig up the carriageway to carry out repairs.

📢A96 closed at Threaplands, nr Lhanbryde📢

Extensive road repairs required after a burst strategic water main (that sounds important!)@scottish_water are on it – hoping to re-open safely on Thurs afternoon.

Diversion – Lhanbryde/Mosstodloch (B9103 and B9105 via Inchberry). https://t.co/wYEcFxL1qB

— Moray Council (@MorayCouncil) June 21, 2022

The A96 between Lhyanbryde and Mosstodloch is closed, with a diversion in place along the B9103 and B9105 via Inchberry.

Scottish Water will be on site near Threaplands Garden Centre this evening and on Wednesday to complete the “challenging” repair, with the road expected to be shut until Thursday afternoon.

A Scottish Water spokesman said: “Our team has been working on site since yesterday seeking to locate and repair a burst water main beneath the A96.

“We have made efforts to keep the road open using traffic lights, but the location of the burst and its impact on the structure of the road mean that this is no longer possible.

“A diversion has been established to redirect A96 traffic via Inchberry. We would like to apologise to local residents and other road users for the delays this will cause.

“We would encourage people to plan their journeys, allow extra time and consider alternative routes where possible.”

Customers in the area are warned they may experience “lower than normal” water pressure or interruptions to their supply.