Update on Wade Bridge - 2nd July 2010
A contractor is about to start some first aid work. The contractor is Wildland Services run by Brian Wilson and based in Ullapool. They are accepting the challenge of setting up safe access down the far south side of the bridge and in the water at the abutments. Then the intention is to pack the exposed abutment backfill with lime mortar, and pour grout into holes in the roadway to fill up all the weak spaces within the bridge abutments. If we succeed in this, the bridge should be better placed to survive a big flood.
Total funding of £16,500 has been secured, £9,000 from the Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust (SFCT) and £7,500 from a local donation.
The work is planned in several week-long phases.
The bridge trust's larger funding application was turned down by local landowners, and in turn by the SFCT partly as a consequence of this. This in turn prevents access to three times the funding from bodies such as Historic Scotland who are otherwise supportive.
The trust is however keen to achieve at least some strengthening work, so that we still have a bridge to restore properly when funds are available.
