New Forth bridge is nearly finished (but road chaos rolls on)

The new bridge over the Firth of Forth will be completed on time – but motorists will face chaos because the access roads will not be ready.

Ministers yesterday insisted that the Queensferry Crossing will open by its revised completion date of the end of August.

But Transport Scotland confirmed that months of other work on access roads and surrounding areas will continue after the bridge opens.

This is expected to take until at least the end of November – meaning the £1.4billion Queensferry Crossing project will not be fully finished until the end of this year. The original completion date was December 2016, later pushed back to May.

Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown was criticised last night after he initially insisted that work on adjoining roads would be completed this month.

Murdo Fraser, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said: ‘We have yet more confusion about the completion date for this major project.

‘Keith Brown tells me in answer to a parliamentary question that the approach roads to the bridge will be open by June, but his Transport Agency are saying that the work required will continue. Motorists and businesses who rely on this vital link will want to know that there will be no further delays to a project whose completion date has already been put back.’

It is understood that the Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors consortium told staff on Tuesday they are likely to be employed until mid-November because of the amount of outstanding work.

It means there will still be roadworks around the bridge after it opens. Commuters and those living nearby have endured years of works on the M90 and surrounding roads, plus a confusing and constantly changing road layout.

Transport Scotland said: ‘The Queensferry Crossing will open between mid-July and August.

‘As space is limited in the area and for reasons of safety, work on the final tie-in for the southbound public transport link between Ferrytoll junction and the Forth Road Bridge can only take place after traffic has switched on to the Queensferry Crossing.

‘The work will take place immediately after the planned opening. There is no additional cost as the work has always been scheduled to take place this way.

‘After the Queensferry Crossing is opened to traffic there will be some work to complete for the final landscaping and planting and removal of temporary site offices and construction facilities north and south of the Forth.’

Appearing before MSPs yesterday, Mr Brown told holyrood’s rural economy and connectivity committee that the bridge would open by the end of August. he said: ‘Because of the lengthening days, that has allowed for more work to be done. But there has still continued to be... issues with wind and sometimes issues with rain. There are continuing problems, probably none beyond that of what we would expect.’

Project director David Climie said: ‘April and May has been very dry, which has helped us with waterproofing and surfacing.’

he also said the project is within budget, adding: ‘Nothing has come up so far that would entitle the contractor to claim extra costs for any overrun that will happen.’