---
title: SYSTRA designers lead South Lanarkshire’s replacement River Clyde bridge at Carstairs
url: "https://www.systra.com/ireland/news/systra-designers-lead-south-lanarkshires-replacement-river-clyde-bridge-at-carstairs/"
type: post
date_published: 2024-05-02
date_modified: 2024-05-02
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-IE
word_count: 425
reading_time: 3 min
canonical: "https://www.systra.com/ireland/news/systra-designers-lead-south-lanarkshires-replacement-river-clyde-bridge-at-carstairs/"
featured_image: "https://www.systra.com/ireland/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/05/river-clyde-bridge-south-lanarkshire1.jpg"
categories:
  - Non classé
---

# SYSTRA designers lead South Lanarkshire’s replacement River Clyde bridge at Carstairs

![SYSTRA designers lead South Lanarkshire’s replacement River Clyde bridge at Carstairs](https://www.systra.com/ireland/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/05/river-clyde-bridge-south-lanarkshire1.jpg)

South Lanarkshire Council asked SYSTRA to design a cost-effective River Clyde
crossing to replace the original Pettinain Road Bridge near Carstairs, 30 miles
southeast of Glasgow. The original bridge was closed to road traffic in 2018 for
structural safety reasons. The new bridge crossing was formally opened at a
ceremony on Monday, 22nd April 2024, restoring a much needed and well-used route
for the local community.

SYSTRA’s Signature Team used a proprietary ‘Mabey’ bridge truss design without
piers for the new 90m span crossing, making it the second longest ‘Mabey’ bridge
in the UK. The total cost of the works is significantly lower compared to
typical permanent bridge crossing solutions – this was justified by the rural
location and relatively low amount of road traffic. The bridge was launched from
the south side of the river, and the construction of the bridge had minimal
impact upon the river’s natural habitat and its riverbanks which was a key
design factor.

SYSTRA’s designers work on bridge projects throughout the UK and globally. In
the UK, the team is currently working on several highway and rail viaducts and
bridges for HS2 near Birmingham as well as bridge and viaduct structures along
the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU East) between Leeds and York

![river-clyde-bridge-south-lanarkshire1-1](https://www.systra.com/ireland/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/05/river-clyde-bridge-south-lanarkshire1-1.jpg)

> The interesting part was the practicalities of incorporating the launching of
> such a long-span structure into the design, making it a permanent solution for
> crossing the River Clyde. It was a fantastic challenge to work on, making the
> most of our team’s expertise and innovative thinking.
> Jon Iribarren, Principal Engineer (Bridges) at SYSTRA

Jon Iribarren, Principal Engineer (Bridges) at SYSTRA, said: “The team worked
collaboratively with South Lanarkshire Council to make sure the right solution
was found to deliver the Council’s accessibility, safety and environmental goals
within budget. The new bridge is an asset to the local community and will
improve the quality of life for many people.” Council Leader Joe Fagan said:
“This new bridge restores a much needed and well used link for the local
community. As well as vehicles, it will also promote active travel with
pedestrian access, and it feeds into the wider cycle network for the area.”

[SYSTRA designers lead South Lanarkshire’s replacement River Clyde bridge at Carstairs](https://www.systra.com/ireland/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/05/clyde-bridge-final.pdf)[Download Press Release](https://www.systra.com/ireland/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/05/clyde-bridge-final.pdf)

**Categories:** Non classé