Good news for north coast as Highland Council confirms delayed Naver bridge build project to go out to tender
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A MAJOR north coast infrastructure project, which had been halted by Highland Council due to budget constraints, is now moving forward.
The first stage of the tender process - advertising for interested contractors - to build a new £11.5 million structure to replace the existing Naver bridge - is expected to start shortly.
It is good news for North Coast residents who are deeply concerned about the state of the current, 142-year-old Naver bridge which has corroded metal work, broken tar and crumbling stonework.
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The bridge carries the main A836 Tongue to Thurso road over the River Naver, near Bettyhill and is considered a vital transport link with the only alternative route being a 64-mile detour via Strathnaver and Strath Halladale.
Highland Council put the brakes on the project to build a replacement bridge in March.
The authority halted the scheme just before it was due to go out to tender and after a huge amount of preparatory work costing thousands of pounds had already been carried out.
It was said at the time that the postponement would be temporary for up to a year, but the local authority gave no time frame for when it would resume, sparking fears that it could be permanently shelved.
Local people lobbied their local councillors and politicians over the issue.
But there was cause for optimism when the bridge project was included in the council’s revised £343 million, five-year capital programme, agreed at a meeting on September 14.
A Highland Council spokesperson said earlier this week : “The scheme is included in the new capital programme and the council is about to start the first stage of the tendering process where it will seek information from interested contractors.
“It is currently anticipated that construction will start in early summer 2024.”
Jim A Johnstone, former secretary of Bettyhill, Altnaharra and Strathnaver Community Council said: “I have been told that Highland Council is now preparing go go out to tender and that is a good indication that it will go ahead.
“I am absolutely delighted and I think the entire population of the North Coast will breathe a sigh of relief to know that it is progressing. The state of the current bridge is a cause for concern.
“It may be cosmetic but the bridge looks terrible. It has been there for 142 years so I think it’s about time it was replaced."
The new bridge will be an 84 metre long, double carriageway steel and concrete structure.
