Moray Council has warned of “damaging” padlocks that have been appearing on the new Lossiemouth East Beach Bridge.
The “love locks” have been added to the footbridge, which the local authority says risks damaging its wires.
Over time the weight of the locks can weaken the metal and shorten its lifespan.
In a post on social media, Moray Council asked people to remove their padlocks and stop attaching them.
They warned that any padlocks still attached to the bridge on September 9 will be removed.
After the old bridge was closed due to safety concerns in 2019, the community was unable to access the east beach for three years. In May, the new £1.8 million bridge was opened in an emotional ceremony.
But that is not the only time “love locks” have been appearing on north-east bridges.
Locks will have short lifespan
In 2015, around 300 locks were removed from the Falls of Feugh footbridge on the River Dee.
In 2017, 150 were removed from the River Cowie bridge in Stonehaven.
The practice seems to have been popularised by The Ponts des Arts bridge in Paris.
Couples engrave the locks with their initials and some sentimental words, then toss the keys into the River Seine below to symbolise their eternal love.
In 2015, over 1 million locks were removed from the bridge – weighing 45 tonnes.
Moray Council is keen to prevent a similar situation from happening to the expensive Lossiemouth Bridge.
Watch below for the grand opening of the new East Beach Bridge
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