Collapsed Glasgow sewer will take two months to fix

A busy Glasgow street closed by a collapsed sewer will remain shut for two more months than originally planned.

Emergency sewer and sinkhole repairs on Cathedral Street in the city centre have been extended due to the amount of concrete, clay and cables found underneath the road.

The road was initially closed on safety grounds on 31 March, before an investigation the following day confirmed a collapse on the Victorian sewer and voids beneath both sides of the carriageway.

Repairs were scheduled to last four weeks but Scottish Water said work to fix the issue has been "significantly slower than expected" and would therefore need to take longer than first thought.

Work to fix the sewer - which has the typical egg-shaped profile and brick construction used by Victorian engineers - had been started over the Easter weekend.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: "The damaged Victorian egg brick sewer is more than three metres deep, but unfortunately because of the heavy clay soil and presence of numerous cables and pipes, progress has been significantly slower than expected.

"We have also found a significant amount of concrete in the excavation site which must be carefully broken out and removed as there may be other power cables or other utilities encased inside.

"There is always a degree of chance when breaking ground in the city centre, but in this case, we have been hit by a triple whammy of clay, concrete and cables."

There will now need to be multiple excavations carried out at the site, with the street remaining closed between North Hanover Street and Montrose Street and a signed diversion in place.

A temporary bus gate suspension is also in place at Cathedral Bridge.