A historic 19th-century viaduct in Scotland has collapsed into the River Spey, triggering a political showdown over who will pay for repairs. Local MSP Tim Eagle will confront First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood on Thursday, demanding Scottish Government funding after Moray Council declared it cannot afford the work alone.
The 350-foot Spey Viaduct, also known as Garmouth Viaduct, partially collapsed on Sunday morning. Police confirmed no injuries. Engineers have identified the cause as scour - soil erosion around the bridge's foundations caused by fast-moving water.
The collapse has exposed a troubling infrastructure failure. A specialist contractor inspected the viaduct in 2023 and found no evidence of scour. But Moray Council now believes the River Spey's flow path changed over the last year, altering water impact on the bridge's piers. The River Spey is Scotland's fastest flowing river, complicating underwater assessments.
Political Pressure for Government Bailout
Eagle, the Scottish Conservatives MSP for Moray, visited the collapsed structure on Monday and immediately submitted an emergency question for Thursday's First Minister's Questions. He told reporters: «This is not a time to play a blame game, there are businesses and locals to whom this bridge is very important.»
The MSP stressed the Scottish Government must step in. «It will require a partnership approach and that means the participation of the Scottish Government which is the only organisation with the clout to deliver a solution,» Eagle said.
Local councillor Marc Macrae told the BBC that repairs would be «nigh on impossible» for Moray Council given current budget constraints. «I would hope the national government if anything would step in here because it's a project way beyond the means of the local authority and the constrained budgets we have at this time,» Macrae said.
Council Plans Limited by Finances
Moray Council, which has maintained the bridge since 1968, is instructing a specialist engineer for detailed inspection. The council said it hopes to complete this work «before Christmas or early in the new year.»
«The longer-term future of the bridge will be considered in the new year after the initial clear-up operation, with options presented to councillors as soon as practicably possible,» the council stated. «We're well aware of the strength of feeling in the local community, and further afield, for this bridge and how well used it is by walkers and cyclists.»
But any repair or replacement work «will also be subject to available finances,» the council confirmed. The duration of the bridge's closure remains unknown.
Wider Infrastructure Concerns
Eagle raised concerns about other bridges in the region. «There are other bridges, such as the Cloddach bridge at Elgin, and the Spey bridge at Cromdale, which are of serious concern too,» he said. «We need to be far more serious about looking after our infrastructure so that we prevent incidents like this occurring in the future.»
The iron girder viaduct was constructed between 1883 and 1886 for the Moray Coast Railway. After the railway closed in 1968, the bridge became part of the Speyside Way walking and cycling path connecting Spey Bay to Ballindalloch.
Richard Lochhead, SNP MSP for Moray, said at the weekend: «The local community will be heartbroken by the collapse of the much-loved Spey Viaduct, which is not only an iconic structure but also incredibly popular with walkers, cyclists, and tourists.»
Councillor Shona Morrison added: «The viaduct holds such a special place in my family's heart, it is devastating to see the collapse of such a well-loved and iconic landmark.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
