Edinburgh's Longstone path: £40,000 Bridge repairs approved so vital link can be reopened

Edinburgh transport committee agrees to £40,000 repairs
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Councillors have given the go-ahead for repairs to a footbridge which provides a vital connection between two Edinburgh communities.

The Burnside Bridge – or Stenhouse Mill Lane Bridge – is at one end of the Longstone Path, which links Longstone and Stenhouse between HMP Edinburgh and the Water of Leith, but the bridge has been closed for nearly four years due to safety concerns following flooding in the area. A report by officials said the necessary repairs were expected to cost around £40,000 and they highlighted complicated ownership issues. But they said the council had the power to carry out repairs on the bridge since it was a public right of way and might be able to recover the costs.

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Officials also warned, however, that the area was likely to be subject to development in the near future, which would include improvements to the footbridge and any council investment which could not be recovered could therefore be “abortive”.

The Burnside Bridge has been closed for nearly four years, but now repairs will go ahead.The Burnside Bridge has been closed for nearly four years, but now repairs will go ahead.
The Burnside Bridge has been closed for nearly four years, but now repairs will go ahead.

But now the city’s transport and environment committee has agreed to fund the repairs so the bridge, which crosses the Murray Burn at the Longstone end of the path, can be re-opened. The council will take all reasonable steps to recover the costs. An official told the committee: “We're happy to undertake the repairs and attempt to recover the cost if possible. We're content that it informs an important link. We've weighed up all the pros and cons and we're content to undertake the repairs to reopen the bridge.”

Another official said the complex ownership issues could delay any development in the area. He said there were five potential owners of a retaining wall next to the bridge. “We think site will get developed, but take it of time to sort out the landownership issues, so it could be a number of years away.”

Transport convener Scott Arthur had asked officials in October to investigate how the bridge could be reopened and at the committee meeting on Thursday (2 February) he successfully proposed the repairs should go ahead. Locals have been up in arms about the closure for some time, with Longstone Community Council and local councillors calling for it to be re-opened.

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