PLANS have been announced by Scottish Borders Council to help make a Peebles footbridge safer this week.

Priorsford Footbridge, which connects Tweed Green to Kingsmeadows Road and Victoria Park has closed in the past for maintenance and repair works.

The silver suspension bridge is the main crossing point for disabled people who visit the Victoria Park Day Centre in Kingsmeadows Road.

No exact date has been announced by Scottish Borders Council as to when the works will start, but works are expected to be carried out within the next few months.

A Scottish Borders Council spokesperson said: “New anti-slip decking will be installed on Priorsford footbridge, Peebles in due course. In the interim, we have increased treatment levels on the bridge during cold weather.”

"The decking is being put in after comments from members of the public about the surface of the bridge being slippy in icy conditions."

Once a date is confirmed and works start, pedestrians will be expected to divert to Tweed Bridge, the main road crossing over the river about quarter of a mile further west, upon the improvements starting.

Priorsford Bridge, was built in 1905 and is a wire rope suspension design.

The bridge is also the main crossing point for Peebles High school children who flood into the town centre at lunchtime.

It provides the children with a safe, virtually car free, route into the town.