COMMUTERS could face disruptions as Stirling’s Kerse Road Bridge will be closed for six months from Monday, April 16, to allow the electrification of the railway below.

In this time, the bridge will be completely demolished and reconstructed and a temporary footbridge will be in place.

The bridge and the A905 should re-open around October, but further traffic measures will remain in place until February 2019.

Network Rail has been seeking to replace the structure to make sure there is enough clearance for the electric cables above the tracks.

The new bridge is promised to be significantly wider than the current one with the potential for a third lane to be added to meet growing traffic needs.

The bridge links Springkerse Industrial Estate with the large Craigs Roundabout in the heart of the busy city.

Iain McFarlane, Network Rail’s route delivery director for the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa electrification project, explained: “We know Kerse Road is a critical link in Stirling’s road network, and we do not take the decision to request its closure lightly.

“We understand the impact that this potentially will have for both road users, businesses and those communities adjacent to the proposed diversion route. However, this is the best way to minimise the overall disruption that this unavoidable work will have on the local community.

“Delivering this work in a six month closure is a huge logistical challenge, but we have planned carefully with our contractor, Morgan Sindall, and have every confidence in the project team’s ability to complete this work with the minimum possible inconvenience.”