Bus routes diverted amidst bridge repairs

The First Bus X95 service between Hawick and Canonbie will see interruptions to its services on Sunday, February 26, and Sunday March 5.

Buses travelling southbound towards Carlisle, leaving from Hawick Mart at 9.21am, 11.21am and 3.21pm, will not be unable to stop at Langholm.

A diversion from Hawick to Canonbie will be in place.

Services leaving Carlisle at 11am and 1pm travelling northbound will also be subject to diversions. Both northbound and southbound services will return to normal after 5pm on both days.

Lee Young, Operations Manager for First Borders, said: “First Borders has been advised of the need for these essential bridge works and we recognise that this will cause some disruption for passengers in Langholm in particular.

“We have been working closely with the local council and other partners to minimise this disruption to daytime services on the two Sundays and are providing information for passengers on vehicles, at bus stops and online.”

The diversions are a result of closures of the A7 at the storm-damaged bridge between 8am and 4pm on both days. The repairs willbe to damaged cutwaters and parapets.

The road will be closed this Sunday to allow crane access, in order to relocate rock armour at the bridge.

On March, 5, the road closure will allow a mobile elevated work platform to be positioned on the bridge, giving access to the cutwaters, structural supports at the bottom of the bridge which are used to resist the effects of fast moving water or ice.

The work is being carried out over three phases at a cost of £150,000.

All works are weather-dependent and further information can be obtained at www.trafficscotland.org.