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Bridge closures hit six-year high

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Published Date: 08 February 2008
By ANDREW PICKEN
THE number of closures on the Forth Road Bridge caused by high winds is at a six-year high.
New figures released today show the ageing bridge was shut to high-sided vehicles for nearly 11 days in total during 2006-07.

The average annual closure is 113 hours, something which hauliers today say is costing them and the economy dear.

The
figures come just one week after three lanes of the bridge were closed after a lorry overturned in high winds. Tunnel campaigners today say the closures weaken the case for a new bridge across the Firth of Forth.

But Transport Scotland, the government agency in charge of the project, says the new bridge will include the latest wind-shielding technology to reduce the number of times it needs to be closed.

Gavin Scott, the Freight Transport Association's head of policy in Scotland, said: "Obviously the weather is one factor out of everyone's control but I think we need to be looking at innovations like they have at the Severn Bridge, where they managed to engineer out this problem with wind shields.

"The closures cause huge problems for the freight trade because it is expensive to go round via Kincardine and you are also losing a lot of time."

A study published by Transport Scotland last summer showed the number of diversions could be slashed from an average of 22 at the moment to just two a year if a three-metre wind shield was installed.

Engineer John Carson, who founded pro-tunnel group ForthTag, said: "This does seem to be a staggering amount of time for the bridge to be closed.

"They are always quoting the Severn Bridge as an example of the success of wind shielding but the wind is greater in the Forth area than on the Severn. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the bridge and it is not too late to look at the tunnel option again."

Ministers decided last year that a cable stayed-style bridge will be built west of the existing bridge on a route that skirts the western fringes of South Queensferry.

The five-and-a-half-year construction project for the new bridge, which will cost between £3.2 billion and £4.2bn, is expected to get under way in 2011.

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: "Bridge technology and design has moved on significantly since the 1960s and continues to develop.

Wind shielding will be built in to reduce the potential for closure."

• Pop-up adverts for porn websites were planted on the Forth Road Bridge website, it was reported today.

IT experts revealed hackers had accessed the site and users were being redirected to a Turkish website carrying computer viruses.

The Forth Estuary Transport Authority admitted its website had been closed for several hours on Wednesday following a security breach.

• www.feta.gov.uk





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  • Last Updated: 08 February 2008 12:05 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Forth Bridges
 
1

mrmoneypenny,

08/02/2008 12:26:19
# 6 year high' WOW you would think this was a massive figure.

So do we blame the wind for not being consistent from year to year, damn the wind.
2

Jaco Pastorius,

Maine 08/02/2008 12:34:29
Holding my breath for the usual inane references to "environmental Nazis" and the "nanny-state".
3

Wee Keef,

Under the parapet 08/02/2008 13:05:59
Holding my breath for the usual inane references to how this is another example of FETA's deliberate policy of mismanagement
4

Wee Keef,

08/02/2008 13:19:37
Nine minutes - not bad!
5

Man of Reason,

08/02/2008 13:34:09
JR Hartley - whoever you are, you are a nasty piece of work
6

Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia,

08/02/2008 14:36:14
FETA have a deliberate policy of mismanagement? That's a bit silly, isn't it?
7

,

08/02/2008 15:42:36
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
8

piper,

08/02/2008 18:03:21
what about the numpty that let the arctic cross over 2 weeks ago he one that blew over he should get the sack or does he not know when it,s strong winds he caused utter chaos
9

D Napier,

08/02/2008 18:32:15
Here we go again. "Has been" engineer John Carson continues his personal vendetta against FETA.

Having been defeated with his flawed campaign for a tunnel he now has to try to interfere in the running of the existing bridge.

Come on John, please tell us, exactly what is your problem?
10

Reckless,

7/7 was an inside job 08/02/2008 21:24:34
The economy is going to hell, yet we still give an average of £4 billion/annum (net) to our EU masters.

Have you been to Spain recently? They've got marvelous roads courtesy of the British taxpayer. The sooner we withdraw from the EU, the better. Unfortunately, Gordon Brown can't allow that to happen, so it's almost certain that we'll have to wait for the EU's inevitable collapse. All socialist regimes fail.

Clear your debts and batten down the hatches. They say "we may be going into a recession". Truth is, we're well into a recession, and it's going to hurt a lot more.
11

firhill,

09/02/2008 13:52:23
#9

So you'd just close the bridge when it's "windy" would you?

What drivel. There are recognised wind procedures at the Forth and this complex issue has been looked at by bridge operators across the UK.

The reason that lorry went over was due to a massive 68mph spike which unfortunately happened just as it was crossing so if you're looking to blame someone then phone God.
12

STAYonFORTH,

Fife 09/02/2008 22:37:51
Why does John Carson keep getting quoted in these articles? The Severn as a south west facing estuary has higher wind speeds for longer periods than we do here in the Forth. Irrespective of how high the winds are there or here it is a FACT that the second Severn crossing has never shut to any traffic due to high winds at the same time the original Severn crossing has. So they are quite right to hold it up as a success of wind shielding. We should have the same here. How many people need to tell Mr Carson that a tunnel is not the right option here before he accepts it? His arguements for a tunnel are flawed, this was shown in the studies carried out by Transport Scotland and their consultants, in the arguements put forward by STAYonFORTH and by the independent panel of experts commissioned by the government to review the TS findings.I think he would rather have no crossing and condemn the residents of Fife to ongoing misery and economic hardship with the existing bridge, afterall he doesn't use it that much.

 

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