GOING black to the future, council chiefs in Perth have been forced to perform an embarrassing U-turn over their attempts to brighten one of the main bridges over the River Tay.
Last month, contractors were brought in by Perth and Kinross Council to start a make-over of the Queen's Bridge in Perth.
They were ordered to paint the 200 yards of black railings that line the bridge in the council's distinctive blue and green
livery, ahead of next year's "Perth 800" celebrations to mark the granting of the town's Royal Burgh Charter by King William the Lion in 1210.
However, local residents and business leaders condemned the new colour scheme and council officials have now decided that it's "back to black" for the bridge.
The authority is spending a total of £30,000 on the overall refurbishment scheme and the extra black paint has cost an additional £1,000.
Yesterday angry Perth residents hit out at the council for wasting taxpayers' cash on the same day the local authority issued a report praising its own performance.
Douglas Peacock, 48, an engineer, said: "I drive across that bridge to work every day and watched them paint it blue and a sort of yucky green for several days.
"I wouldn't say it would have been my choice of colours, but to then go back and paint it black again is a total waste of money as far as I'm concerned."
He added: " What I don't understand is why they have decided – at great expense – just to buckle and cave in at the first sign of a complaint about it.
"What if people complain about the black? Will they just keep painting it over and over like the Forth Bridge?"
However, Alison McKenzie, 29, an IT worker in Perth, said: "I quite liked the new colour. It's totally scandalous they are wasting money painting it black again when it was already black a month ago."
Archie MacLellan, one of the four local councillors who prompted the council's rethink, said: "There were a considerable number of complaints received from constituents who found the colours unpalatable, particularly the green bit."
The bridge was opened by the Queen in 1960 to replace the Victoria Bridge. During construction, the steel framework of the old bridge was jacked up while the new bridge was built beneath it.
A council spokesman said: "On balance, the majority of feedback we were receiving was from people who disliked the new colour scheme. We are reacting to those comments by asking the contractor to repaint the bridge black."
He added: "The decision on what colour to paint bridge railings are made by our bridge engineers. This time it was decided to brighten up the bridge for the Perth 800 celebrations.
"However, the four local members received some comments from residents and passed them on to officers in the environment services department.
"The local members were then asked their opinion on what colour the railings should be, and their decision was to paint it black. The black paint has cost an additional £1,000."
