Long queues have been reported on the first day of the Bridge of Dee closure in Aberdeen.
The crossing, on the A92 Granite City to Stonehaven road, will be closed both ways from today until October 9.
The 12-day closure has already caused delays on the route, with Aberdeen City Council asking motorists and pedestrians to find an alternative route to cross the River Dee.
Today, queues of traffic trying to get into the city stretched from the Bridge of Dee roundabout as far as the Charlestown junction with delays of about 30 minutes experienced.
There were also long queues on Leggart Terrace, on the approach to the city from the B9077 South Deeside Road, as well as on Great Southern Road.
Built in 1527 to replace a ferry boat over the Dee, the bridge has been the primary link between Aberdeen and the south for nearly 500 years.
The route is still used by thousands of drivers travelling north and south on the A92 each day and connects both the Garthdee and Bridge of Dee roundabouts, both which can face busy queues of traffic during rush hour.
Alternatives include the King George VI Bridge, the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and Victoria Bridge, while for pedestrians, Wellington Suspension Bridge is another option.
In September last year, the bridge was closed for two weeks due to resurfacing works, while it was announced earlier this month that the A92 road between Bridge of Don and Bridge Dee could be reduced to a 30mph speed limit.
A spokeswoman for Aberdeen City Council said: “The work relates to the resurfacing of the bridge deck and the replacement of the bridge deck expansion joints.
“Officers are also carrying out works to a nearby culvert while the bridge closure is in place.
“These works have been in the planning for 18 months and the works were originally planned for 2021 but had to be postponed due to the availability of some specialist materials.”
Conversation