Forth back in use as partial closure begins

The Forth Road Bridge opened to traffic at 10pm last night as the Queensferry Crossing partially closed for maintenance work.

Work on the new £1.35 billion bridge will include stripping back 15 metres of tarmac to resolve an issue around its expansion joints.

For the duration of the works southbound traffic will use the Forth Road Bridge and northbound traffic will use the Queensferry Crossing. A 40mph speed limit will be in place on both bridges.

Transport Scotland said signs and traffic management measures would be in place and road users were advised to plan ahead.

The bridge has been built to carry traffic at 70mph but that cannot be applied until snagging issues are resolved, with traffic currently restricted to a 50mph limit.

The problems have been blamed for one motorist’s tyre blow-out.

Charline Smith, 44, said: “My tyre completely exploded, which led me to drive over the bridge petrified with only three wheels.

“I had my suspicion of what caused it as I was right at the joining of the bridge when it happened. But the news that the bridge is closing for repair confirmed it to me.”

The mechanic who repaired the wheel said there were no obvious signs of damage which would have caused the tyre to fail.

However, Richie Evans, who manages tyre firm Colin’s Inverkeithing, said: “We’ve had absolutely nothing, and we’re right on the bridge.

“Between myself and the guys, we’re going back and forth across the bridge at least 100 times a day. I would definitely put it down to coincidence.”

A spokesperson for bridge operator Amey said there had been no increase in reports to bridge staff of punctured tyres on the Queensferry Crossing compared to the Forth Road Bridge, adding that Ms Smith contacted them on Monday – days after the incident on November 23.

“We therefore have no way of establishing the cause of the puncture, so we have advised her to take the matter up with her insurers,” he added.