Forth Road Bridge to reopen tomorrow 22 | 12 | 2015
THE FORTH ROAD BRIDGE will reopen tomorrow (Wed, Dec 23) morning at 6am. But despite temporary repairs being completed ahead of schedule, while cars, buses, coaches and cycles will be able to use the bridge, it will remain closed to HGVs till mid-February.
The bridge has been closed since December 4 after a crack was discovered in a truss under the carriageway. It was originally scheduled the bridge would reopen on January 4, but Officials have managed to reopen it almost two weeks earlier than planned.
Engineers have installed a steel splint to repair the cracked truss at the north end of the 51-year-old bridge, which is used by an estimated 70,000 vehicles a day travelling between Fife and Edinburgh.
Restrictions on the A985 in west Fife, which has been a HGV priority route, will also be lifted.
The partial opening of the bridge follows load testing, including sending lorries over the bridge (pictured) in different patterns over five hours of tests on Saturday.
The results from the load testing showed that the movement in the pin located at the lower section of the truss end link was not sufficient to support HGV traffic.
Vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes will not be allowed on the bridge until a permanent repair is in place, which will take about six weeks depending on the weather and no further defects being identified.
Related: Forth Road Bridge closure costing hauliers £600,000 a day
Understandably, Road Haulage Association chief executive Richard Burnett said the continued ban on HGVs would have a "massive impact" on his members.
"The major distribution centres on the northern, Fife-side of the river are totally reliant on an efficient, swift transport system," he said, "and we have had many reports from members who are already struggling to keep to their pre-Christmas delivery schedules.
"The news that they will continue to face delays and a massive increase in cost for another eight weeks will, for many, prove to be unsustainable."
HGVs account for 32% of the weight the bridge normally carries despite making up approximately 9% of overall traffic.
Today's news was welcomed by Transport Minister Derek Mackay.
"I am pleased we are now able to reopen the bridge to 90% of traffic, well ahead of schedule," Mackay said. "Following rigorous testing and inspection of the temporary repair, experts have recommended the bridge is now ready to open to all traffic except HGVs.
"With the temporary solution now in place, the remaining work to install the long-term repair can safely proceed without the need for a full closure.
Related: Forth Road Bridge to reopen January 4
"The repairs will be carried out with overnight lane restrictions on the bridge.
"For the complex and detailed interim repair to have been completed in this timeframe is a tribute to the highly skilled and dedicated staff who have worked 24/7.
"Since the closure was put in place, weather conditions have been mainly favourable and the team have been able to complete the repair work in good time."
The minister praised transport operators for putting on extra services during the closure.
He added: "In fact, I am pleased to announce that ScotRail have decided to continue the additional 05:52 Fife train given the popularity of the service, for as long as demand is evident."
Meanwhile, the man in charge of the upkeep of the bridge, Amey's account director and chartered engineer Mark Arndt, explained that better than expected weather had contributed to the early reopening.
"Better than expected weather conditions and round the clock work by our teams allowed us to progress with the detailed inspection, scaffolding construction and actual repairs quicker than originally anticipated," Arndt explained.
"While we are pleased to have finished ahead of schedule for non-HGV traffic to use the bridge, we are very aware of the on-going inconvenience for HGVs not having access."
"Public safety has been at the heart of everything we've been doing and work will be progressing over the coming weeks on the additional strengthening works required to enable HGVs to start safely using the bridge."
Related: Forth Road Bridge closure causes 11-mile tailbacks
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Jim McGill