Green Bridge Opens at Cross Tay Link Road Project
The Cross Tay Link Road project, the Council's £150M road infrastructure development, and the second phase of the Perth Transport Futures project, is due to open in Spring 2025. It includes the realignment of a portion of the A9 north of Perth, the construction of Destiny Bridge over the River Tay and a new link road from the A9 to the A93 and the A94 just north of Scone. It will also create 12km of new pathways for active travel users.
The Green Bridge will reconnect existing footpaths in the forest plantation at Highfield, Scone, allowing active travel users to walk, run, cycle or horse ride, as well as providing safe passage across the link road for woodland mammals and insects.
Council Leader, Grant Laing, commented, “The environment is at the core of the CTLR project’s aims with long-term benefits including improved air quality, and the easing of traffic congestion and noise pollution, particularly in Perth city centre.
“Alongside these more obvious gains, minimising the impact of infrastructure on the environment through careful design has been a key priority and the construction of a green bridge to maintain ecological and pedestrian connectivity is an essential element in delivering on this objective.”
Derek Walsh, Contract Manager for BAM UK & Ireland, commented, “Although not a new concept entirely, there are very few green bridges in existence in Scotland and the Highfield one will certainly be one of the longest single-span green bridges on completion. The bridge is 34 metres long and, spans 27.3 metres across the new link road.
“Building a bridge on a 6° downhill slope did present additional challenges for the construction team, but now that it is complete, the curve shape of the Swiss-designed arches from BEBO offer a striking aesthetic.”
In addition to improving the active travel network, the Green Bridge is the feature location for two of the Community Artwork Projects commissioned for the project; the living bench by Artist Louise McVey sits atop the bridge, and the ‘Seasons’ mural by Shona Hardie can be spotted below the bridge, running alongside the new road.
Councillor Laing continued, “The nature-inspired artwork pieces tie in perfectly with the Green Bridge and have already attracted attention from afar. As well as providing a striking visual and focal point, the living bench also offers a peaceful resting place for active travel users – and of course, it makes a great selfie spot!”
Planting for the Green Bridge started in Spring 2023, allowing the “green” element to emerge over summer this year.
Jillian Ferguson, Roads and Infrastructure Manager for Perth and Kinross Council commented, “Originally this area was a monoculture of trees, but we have taken the opportunity to expand the biodiversity of the woodland, improving on what was there with a mix of broadleaf trees and conifers.
“In addition to this, we are creating a wildflower meadow which, as well as being low maintenance, also offers a better environment for bees, bugs and reptiles, and allows small mammals and birds to forage under cover.”
About Green Bridges
The Scottish Green Infrastructure Forum defines a green bridge as “a structure designed to allow wildlife to cross a manmade impediment, such as a road or railway line.”
There are several examples of this kind of green bridge around the world, but very few in the UK and only a handful in Scotland. The Green Bridge at Highfield plays a significant part in the landscape design objectives as laid out by Perth & Kinross Council for this project.
Green bridges – also referred to as wildlife overpasses – allow woodland mammals and insects safe passage across manmade impediments. The report “Green Bridges – A Literature Review” (NECR181), commissioned by Natural England, identified that green bridges can make an important contribution to sustainability by:
- Creating a safe crossing point for wildlife
- Joining up habitats and connecting colonies
- Providing a home for wildlife
- Creating a crossing point for people
- Facilitating movement of beneficial pollinators
- Integrating roads and railways into the surrounding landscape
Project Update
Destiny Bridge
Since the connection of the main bridge deck in September 2024, the bridge deck waterproofing and protection layer works have been completed including the installation of precast fascia panels parapet upstand beams.
Western approach concrete slabs on top of the reinforced earth structure are also complete which facilitates the connection between the A9 eastern roundabout and Destiny bridge. The remaining bridge finishing works have also progressed well in recent weeks.
New Kingsway
Miscellaneous finishing works have continued over the past few weeks, including completing the surfacing to footpaths and carriageways, and drainage and ducting snagging works. The remaining landscaping has advanced well in the period and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
A9
The new A9 alignment is fully established and working well for drivers, and ancillary works such as bus-bays, footpaths, and accommodation works are all complete. Works on the old A9 are now well advanced, and the new realigned cycleway was opened to the public in November 2024.
Elsewhere preparation for pavement works between the eastern roundabout of the A9 junction to the Destiny Bridge has progressed well in the period. As with the New Kingsway, landscaping has also advanced well in recent weeks.
