Why does such a new bridge need work?

Sir,– I am extremely concerned by the partial closure of the brand new Queensferry Crossing. (Courier, November 28).

It is very worrying that a bridge that has been open less than 12 weeks is already being partially closed so that emergency/unplanned repairs can be carried out on the expansion joints and surrounding road surface.

I understand that if the traffic was travelling at 70mph the problems which have surfaced may have posed a danger to traffic and/or the structure of the bridge.

Surely if the bridge was designed to carry traffic at 70mph then this problem should have been spotted long before it opened to the public?

Is this just a one-off closure or are there other issues still to come to light? I also believe there are issues with the wind barriers. This whole farce does not fill me with confidence. It is funny how the 130-yearold railway bridge is still going strong, yet a bridge just a few months old is needing repairs.

As a motorist I would rather the Queensferry Crossing had opened six months to a year behind schedule and had been fully completed rather than rushing it to completion just so the SNP could say it had opened on time.

Overall the Queensferry Crossing has made no difference to the traffic at peak hours and might even be worse than the old Forth Road Bridge.

Sometimes my journey from Rosyth to the Canonmills area of Edinburgh can take as long as two hours at peak times.

This is a disgraceful situation and the whole roads and transport policy, including public transport, needs a major rethink to be brought into the 21st Century.

At the moment my assessment of the Queensferry Crossing is nothing other than a total SNP failure of a bridge.

Alastair Macintyre. 18 Webster Place, Rosyth.

The partial closure of the Queensferry Crossing has caused concern.