The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Opening of Queensferry Crossing delayed again
Timetable: Poor weather hampering bridge construction
The opening of the new Queensferry Crossing has been delayed again because of adverse weather, ministers have confirmed.
The replacement for the Forth Road Bridge was originally due to open in December last year, before it was pushed back to May.
Keith Brown, the economy secretary, revealed another delay to MSPs yesterday, but would not offer an estimate for when the £1.3bn project will be finished.
He said the contractors updated him this week on the timetable for completion,
“That work has indicated that adverse weather conditions, particularly wind, has had an impact on the removal of the construction cranes and therefore on the estimated completion date,” he told MSPs.
He said removing one crane would reasonably be expected to be completed in 15 days, but it took more than four times as long because of “consistently high winds”.
Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Conservative MSP, asked the SNP minister to respond to reports that the opening date had slipped during questions to ministers in Holyrood yesterday.
“Travellers expecting the bridge to open in May will be sorely disappointed by today’s announcement,” he said afterwards. “When the December opening date was put back to May, inclement weather was blamed, now we have the same excuse being rolled out for a second time.
“This latest delay surely calls into question the Government’s handling of the project and why the public weren’t told sooner considering speculation over a delayed opening has been rife for weeks.”
“With reports suggesting it could be September before the bridge opens the Scottish Government must come clean and let the public now when it realistically predicts the bridge will open.”
Mr Brown is due to receive a detailed report on Monday night from Transport Scotland, which is assessing the timetable review by Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors.
The Cabinet secretary did not reveal a new completion target, but is expected to do so when he updates the rural and connectivity committee today.
The delay to the new 1.7-mile link between Fife and Edinburgh will not lead to a higher bill for the taxpayer, as the project is on a fixed-price contract.