The original Bleaton Hallet Bridge was damaged beyond repair when the eastern abutment was washed away by the sheer force and volume of water caused by Storm Frank in December 2015.

As a result the C446, which connects Alyth and the A93 towards Glenshee, being unusable for drivers, forcing them to undertake an 18-mile detour.

The new £1 million bridge will be constructed using a single-span galvanised steel structure and has been designed to allow all road traffic to cross, with no weight restrictions.

The site team will be working around a four metre vertical face on the east embankment to construct new abutments, pouring 100 cubic metres of concrete. The design also includes improvements to drainage to defend the bridge from severe weather damage in the future.

As with all of its projects, Morgan Sindall has taken steps to ensure that no damage is caused to the surrounding environment. Measures have been taken to ensure debris from the construction process does not fall into the Black Water and dry stone walling, due to be dismantled during the build, will be salvaged and reconstructed once the bridge is in place.

Morgan Sindall was selected to undertake this project after successfully winning a competitive tendering process. The company delivered a presentation about the Ruthven Road Bridge on the outskirts of Kingussie in the Cairngorms National Park as a possible construction model for the new bridge, which was subsequently accepted by Perth & Kinross Council and locals alike.

Councillor Ian Miller, Leader of Perth & Kinross Council, said: “I am glad to hear that we have appointed a contractor and that these necessary works to repair what is a key transport route for many people can now begin.”

Morgan Sindall’s area director for infrastructure, Robert Ogg, added: “The C446 road provides a vital link between Alyth and the A93 to Glenshee and the local communities come to depend on the infrastructure network so heavily, often without noticing how vulnerable it can be.

“We are acutely aware of this reliance and are proud to be designing and building a new bridge to restore this critical access; our message to the many people who would usually use this route is that the end is in sight.”

The new bridge is expected to be open to the public before the end of the year.