Crossing to have ice sensors installed

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has announced ice sensors will be installed on the Queensferry Crossing “in the coming months” following its closure last week.

The bridge was shut for two days after falling ice damaged up to eight cars, causing a political backlash over the first closure since it opened in 2017.

At Holyrood yesterday, Mr Matheson said a five-point plan is being put in place to monitor the condition of the bridge in winter weather and ice sensors will be installed within months.

The transport secretary also said the option of using the Forth Road Bridge in the event of another closure – which was set aside as a public transport corridor after the opening of the crossing – is being explored.

A technical briefing is due to take place for local MSPS and members of the rural economy and connectivity committee on Monday to “inform them of the circumstances of the closure, our developing understanding of why this happened and how we plan to respond to these challenges”, according to Mr Matheson.

Asked by Greens MSP Mark Ruskell about the closure, Mr Matheson said: “Initial learning from the event on February 10 has resulted in a five-point plan being put in place to further enhance monitoring and gather increased intelligence from the observations.

“Visual monitoring remains the primary source of understanding the effects of these conditions and this will be assisted by the installation of ice sensors in the coming months.”

The Queensferry Crossing was closed for two days.