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| Bridge ban for lorries 'delayed' |
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| Written by Oddsodz | |
| Monday, 28 January 2008 | |
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Lorry drivers said they have been assured they will not be banned from using the Forth Road Bridge from 2013. The Road Haulage Association said the first minister's office believed they should be able to used the bridge beyond the original deadline. 
Tests have found that cables are snapping 'once a month' An early ban had been suggested because of concerns that the bridge was weakening. Cables which hold it up are now snapping at a rate of one-a-month. Tests to determine the remaining life of the bridge have been carried out. Suspension cables Phil Flanders, of the Road Haulage Association of Scotland, said he was told by Alex Salmond that the latest results were very positive. He said the first minister felt hopeful they would be able to keep the current bridge open to trucks until a new crossing is built. "It decreases the uncertainty and gives us some confidence for the future." "If this can work then it is going to be great." Environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland said the announcement meant the Scottish Government had been hasty in deciding to build a new bridge. Spokesperson Chas Booth said: "The big question for the first minister to answer is, if he agrees that the current bridge can be fixed, why is he wasting more than £3bn of taxpayers' money on an environmentally disastrous second Forth Road Bridge?" The bridgemaster has also confirmed that they hoped to nurse the old bridge along until they get the new crossing in place. The Scottish Government announced last month that it would build a new Forth crossing to the west of the current bridge. It will cost between £3.2bn and £4.2bn and was expected to be completed by 2016. Source BBC News |
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