Roadworks put brakes on drivers' first toll-free crossing of bridge

IT SHOULD have been a small victory for hard-pressed motorists, who were finally able to cross one of Scotland's busiest bridges without paying.

However, commuters who hoped to sail over the bridge without stopping to pay were met with two-mile tailbacks because of roadworks to remove tollbooths on the Forth Road Bridge.

Drivers, who had expected a clear run, suffered queues of up to 40 minutes on some northbound approach roads.

To make matters worse, officials warned motorists the disruption would continue for several weeks while the bridge's toll plaza on its northbound carriageway was redesigned.

Stewart Stevenson, the transport minister, also admitted removing tolls from the bridge would increase the length of the morning and evening peak periods for traffic.

The first t o suffer were bridge-bound drivers from West Lothian, who faced two-mile queues on the A904 as far west as Newton. They were delayed on a slip road to the toll plaza by having to give way to traffic from Edinburgh.

Access will not be improved for several weeks until the remaining four of an original seven toll booths and their canopy are removed. However, the £1 million project to scrap the £5 million complex – only a year old – will take four months to complete, as The Scotsman revealed in December.

Traffic is expected to be heavier after West Lothian schools return from their mid-term break tomorrow, and Edinburgh's schools reopen next week.

William Black, from Dunfermline, was the last person to pay a toll on the 44-year-old Forth Road Bridge, shortly before supermarket worker Lorraine Cleverley was presented with a bottle of champagne as she became the first to cross free, at 11:24pm on Sunday.

The charges, which included £1 for cars, were lifted earlier than planned at 12:01am yesterday as preparation work finished ahead of schedule.

Ashley Gregor, a student, was the last to pay to cross the 42-year-old Tay Road Bridge, where tolls were abolished just after midnight on Sunday.

She was followed shortly after by Gordon Struthers, the first to cross free.

Rush-hour queues at the Tay crossing in Dundee were shorter than usual, but congestion remained because approach roads were narrowed to one lane.

Mr Stevenson hailed the abolition of tolls as a victory for fairness for Fife. He said all Scottish taxpayers should pay for the upkeep of the crossings, as they did for the rest of the road network.

He said: "We do not expect any more serious congestion than at present, but the peak hour is likely to be a little longer. We will need to measure that."

• Barry Colford took up the new post of chief engineer and bridgemaster of the Forth Road Bridge yesterday. He was depute to general manager and bridgemaster Alastair Andrew, who is retiring after 14 years.

SNUB TO HAULIERS

ALISTAIR Darling, the Chancellor, declined to make any pledges to hauliers who met him yesterday to press for a planned 2p increase in fuel duty to be abandoned.

Industry leaders fear the rise in April will put at serious risk lorry firms which are already struggling with near record oil prices. However, Roger King, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: "The Chancellor made it clear he could do no more than take note of what was being said."

A Treasury spokesman said despite planned annual increases until 2010 to help tackle climate change, the level would still be 11 per cent lower than in 1999.