Fears are rising that a historic Galloway bridge may very well be irreparably broken except motion is taken to cease illegal use by HGVs.
Residents say lorry drivers usually flout width restrictions on the Previous Brig o’ Dee for a shortcut between the close by A75 and Rhonehouse.
Within the newest incident a lorry and low loader carrying farm automobiles was noticed making an attempt to barter the bridge.
Native resident Ian Lindsay advised the Information: “On Monday, a big truck carrying farm gear crossed the bridge earlier than getting caught as a result of it was too lengthy to show the nook on the far finish.
“It then spent the following 20 minutes reversing again into the village and heading off.
“The width limits had been clearly ignored. We're actually getting fed up with this now.
“We don’t need the bridge to be closed as a result of it is going to imply a three-mile detour for us. We simply need the police to take motion.”
Balmaghie Group Council member and Bridge of Dee resident Ian Finlayson mentioned widespread sense ought to have advised the HGV driver to not try the slender bridge.
And he vowed to proceed to press for an answer to the long-running concern.
He mentioned: “He ought to have identified six foot six restrict means six foot six in anyone’s language.
“Rhonehouse has obtained an indication saying there’s a width restriction on the bridge additional forward and the group council has been saying there must be an indication on the A75 saying the identical factor.
“Lorry drivers coming off the A75 take an opportunity on the bridge.
“Then they realise after they get to the tip there’s a 90-degree bend that they'll’t get spherical.
“So there both must be an indication or concrete bollards to cease them utilizing it.
“If a lorry or its load hits the parapet it may dislodge it and that might be the bridge closed.
“And it will value the council 100 occasions extra to restore it than doing one thing about it now.”
Mr Finlayson added: “We raised this at our final assembly and the one earlier than that.
“And it is going to be raised at our subsequent one and those after that till we get one thing completed.”
Final August a girl fell and broke her arm on the bridge after tripping on the concrete walkway, which had been damaged up by lorry wheels.
Following her accident Dumfries and Galloway Council pledged to behave over heavy visitors utilizing the A-listed construction.
Measures included repairs to the concrete slabbing, reassessment of the bridge’s load carrying capability and the opportunity of putting in “bodily options” to guard the bridge.
A dedication to hold out a website survey to document what forms of automobile routinely use the bridge and comply with up notification to Police Scotland and NFU Scotland “if acceptable”, was additionally given.
The Scotland’s Oldest Bridges website describes the Previous Brig o’ Dee, which was constructed between 1737 and 1740, as a “superbly preserved early 18th century bridge”.
Dumfries and Galloway Council was approached for touch upon the state of affairs.