WILLS Bros has welcomed local school pupils to see the progress being made on the build of the new Naver Bridge on the A836 section of the North Coast 500 near Bettyhill.
The contractor has completed the installation of 30 precast bridge beams, marking a key milestone in the Highland Council project. Each beam measures over 21 metres in length and weighs around 23 tonnes, and was lifted into place using a 500-tonne crane in two phases earlier this month.
To mark the milestone, 13 pupils from Farr High School visited the site to learn more about the bridge construction and careers in civil engineering. They were met by Wills Bros community liaison officer, Angela Newlands and site administrator, Isobel MacLeod, whose son, Ruraidh, is a former pupil at the school and now works as a civil engineer.
Following a presentation on the bridge design and site safety, the group gathered at a safe viewing area overlooking the newly installed beams and crane before heading back to the office for refreshments and some Wills Bros goodie bags.
Chair of The Highland Council’s economy and infrastructure committee, councillor Ken Gowans, said, “I am delighted that local school children have had the opportunity to see this exciting project taking shape, and thanks go to contractors and our council staff for their work in welcoming the young visitors. This vital transport link is a major north coast project which demonstrates our commitment to improving the infrastructure in rural areas of Highland.”
Wills Bros site engineer, Hamza Chaudhary, added, “It was brilliant to have the pupils on site during such an exciting phase of the project. Seeing the bridge take shape while inspiring young people to think about engineering careers really brings home the impact of what we do, both for local communities and future generations.”
