Rail line closure could cost Aberdeenshire Council £3m a day

The possible emergency closure of the East Coast Main Line due to a deteriorating bridge could cost Aberdeenshire Council up to £3m a day to cover disruption.

The Abbeyton road-over-rail bridge, on the B966 just north of Fordoun, was shut in July.

Inspections found serious failings in the 170-year-old structure.

It is now to be demolished, but the local authority said an emergency closure could cost £1m to £3m a day.

The council said the cost of a planned demolition plus compensation next year was expected to be about £1m.

However if monitoring indicates further deterioration an emergency closure of the railway could be necessary, which would cost far more.

'Cannot collapse itself'

Infrastructure services committee Peter Argyle said: "The costs associated with an unplanned closure of the line are huge and the only way to remove the risk is to remove the bridge, as it cannot be repaired.

"Under normal circumstances, this work would take two years to plan but this was considered to be unacceptable and early appointment of a contractor experienced in this field, with existing Network Rail approval, has been critical in moving this project forward.

"We appreciate this decision impacts on road users and the nearby Castleton Farm Shop, but it has been taken purely in the interest of safety and to avoid the potential issues caused by an emergency closure of the railway line."

He stressed of meeting the possible larger emergency costs: "We would just have to - we cannot allow the bridge to collapse itself.

"The bridge is unsafe - it has to be demolished."

Vice-chairman John Cox said: "Even with all vehicle traffic removed, the bridge remains a danger to the railway and officers continue to monitor any deterioration closely.

"Unfortunately repair is not an option, so we are seeking to demolish it at the earliest opportunity, minimising disruption to the railway, with a view to replacement in the longer term.

"It's important to realise however that any proposed replacement is likely to run into millions of pounds, and take several years to plan, and there is no financial provision for this within current budgets."

Anna Mitchell, manager of Castleton Farm Shop, said: "We've worked really hard for the last 10 years to build up our business and we've lost 20% - at least - of our footfall.

"We are really disappointed. Obviously safety comes first, if it's not safe, especially for the trains, then we understand that it has to be fixed.

"I would dread to think the business won't survive it, we just have to change what we do, we just have to adapt and move forward."