Expect delays at bridge

Motorists have been warned they will face weekend lane closures and delays of around 15 minutes as work starts on the Erskine Bridge – starting on Saturday.

Scotland TranSer v, working on behalf of Transport Scotland, will begin routine inspection and maintenance painting of supporting cables on this weekend.

The £ 210,000 project is necessary to protect the longterm integrity of the cables, which are a key structural component of the bridge.

The works will run at weekends only for eight weeks until October 8 – from 8am to 6pm each Saturday and Sunday – with the exception of the weekend of September 30, when other works are being carried out on the A82.

Peter McCann, Scotland TranServ’s major bridges manager, said: “Working in liaison with Police Scotland and local authorities, we have scheduled this work so that it can be delivered with minimal disruption to local commuters and businesses.

“This is an essential project that will help protect the steel cables from corrosion for many years to come.”

Tempora r y traffic management will be in place over the weekends of work, with the fast lane closed on each side of the bridge.

The project’s traffic monitoring contractor is forecasting delays in the area to be around 15 minutes.

Andy Fraser, Scotland TranSer v ’ s operating company representative, said disruption will be kept to a minimum.

He added: “The Erskine Bridge is one of Scotland’s busiest river crossings, with more than 40,000 vehicles using the bridge every day.

“It is a constant challenge to balance the need to maintain the structure while reducing the impact of our works.

“Scotland TranServ will aim to deliver these longterm benefits to commuters, businesses and tourists alike with maximum efficiency and minimal disruption throughout.”