Bridge going nowhere

I was asked by a couple of my constituents to come and see this today - the Dunardry Bridge on the Crinan Canal which was closed without warning last June and which has remained shut ever since without any indication of when it might re-open.

The bridge is not only a very rare and rather beautiful example of a "pull bridge" - unique on the canal - it is also a listed structure . Most importantly of all it is the daily route for people living on one side of the canal to get to their work, to the shops , and to see their friends and family.

Without it some of those people have a daily five mile detour and all of them have to travel on a narrow towpath without adequate passing places.

The bridge needs to be re-instated though it is accepted that will cost a bit of money because after 115 years in service it is in a dilapidated and dangerous state.

I promised to get in touch with Scottish Canals to make the case for urgent action and fortuitously, Scotland being a small place, I happened to be sitting next to Andrew Thin , that body's Chair, tonight at dinner so I started on the process of representation there and then.