Forth Bridge closed till New Year 04 | 12 | 2015
THE FORTH ROAD BRIDGE is to remain closed until the beginning of 2016 at the earliest, causing major commuter problems. The closure — the decision was taken following a late-night meeting by Scottish Government transport chiefs — follows the discovery of steelwork defects during inspections on Tuesday, which closed the southbound carriageway.
Further investigations identified eight other parts of the bridge where similar problems could be encountered.
Today's closure caused traffic chaos, with an 11-mile tailback being reported this morning as commuters struggled to access the alternative route across the Kincardine Bridge.
The fact the bridge will now be closed for at least the next month causes major transportation problems for the commuters who make the daily crossing. Around 75,000 vehicles often cross the bride daily, and annually the figure is close to 24 million, far more than it was intended to carry when it opened in 1964.
"The decision to close the Forth Road Bridge is not taken lightly," transport minister Derek MacKay said this morning. "It is based on the expert opinion of the engineers who operate the bridge day-to-day, and that of independent experts in the field.
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"Every effort is being made to open the bridge as quickly as possible, but safety is the main priority. However, these works are weather dependent given the height and location of the bridge. We are aware of the potential economic impact, for strategic traffic in the east of Scotland and on people living in local communities.
"This is an unprecedented challenge in the maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge. On balance, following advice from engineers and independent experts, the full closure is essential for the safety of the travelling public and to prevent further damage to the structure of the bridge.
"The bridge operators Amey have a robust inspection team in place and these defects are problems that have only occurred in the last number of weeks.
"We are taking every step we can to lessen the impact of this closure. Action now will mean that any closure is much shorter than it might be if we waited. We continue to work closely with all partners to co-ordinate our efforts to lessen the impact of this closure.
"Additional bus and rail services are being provided between Fife and Edinburgh. Every effort and resource available is being deployed to repair the damage to the Forth Road Bridge and minimise the disruption to the public."
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It will take seven days for a full assessment and design of the repair to the bridge before a fortnight of engineering work takes place.
ScotRail has already confirmed it will run extra train carriages, and a ferry service is being explored to mitigate the closure.
Emergency vehicles on blue light calls will be able to use the bridge despite the closure.
According to experts, there is a"component failure" on the bridge which is difficult to access location of. The defect is underneath the southbound carriageway at the north tower and had been found during a routine inspection by engineers.
"This is a complex engineering challenge," chartered engineer Mark Arndt, Amey's account director responsible for the bridge, said. "The component failure is in a difficult to access location and our response is also highly dependent on weather conditions.
"We continue to work around the clock on inspections, assessments and calculations along with the development of designs to effect the necessary repairs, while at the same time mobilising all the resources required to reopen the bridge as soon as is possible."
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Jim McGill