Bridge traffic set to face more disruption as faults emerge
●Snagging work could go on until September says project director
Commuters face up to ten months of delays on the Queensferry Crossing after the full extent of construction faults on the structure were revealed.
The £1.35 billion bridge will partially close tonight for almost a week while repairs to a “workmanship issue” are carried out.
But Transport Scotland’s Michelle Rennie confirmed yesterday that more lane closures were expected and could potentially run until September next year to complete further “finishing and snagging work”.
The speed limit on both bridges will be lowered to 40mph during the immediate works.
Southbound traffic will be switched to the Forth Road Bridge from 10pm today until 6am next Wednesday, with northbound traffic continuing to use the Queensferry Crossing.
Transport officials knew there were faults with the crossing before it was opened three months ago, MSPS have been told.
Last night ministers were accused of pressing ahead with opening the bridge despite being aware of
problems with its construction. But the Scottish Government agency said ministers were only informed of problems last week.
Ms Rennie, the agency’s major transport infrastructure projects director, told the rural economy and connectivity committee the problem had been known about before the bridge opening, but a solution was devised only two weeks ago. She said the fault was only announced on Monday once a clear weather window had been established for the repairs to go ahead.
She said officials had not wanted to alert the public to the problem until firm dates could be fixed for the repairs. Ms Rennie said the surfacing “was laid marginally too high”. The work taking place from tonight will see the road surface relaid for 15m around expansion joints at either end of the structure before the speed limit can be raised from 50mph to 70mph so the bridge can become a motorway.
“That’s a workmanship issue,” Ms Rennie said. “It’s the road surfacing at fault. The surfaces were not laid to the tolerances set out in the design.”
Ms Rennie said work on the bridge’s windshielding would take place at the same time. She said: “Some aspects need some finishing work.”
Ms Rennie also told MSPS: “We’ve been consistently saying that there would be finishing and snagging works required. The contract allows for those works up until next September at no additional cost. There will be additional works – mechanical and electrical works, lifts to the towers and that sort of thing.
“There was no need to delay opening the bridge for that sort of thing. These are relatively normal.”
Neil Greig, policy and research director with motoring group IAM Roadsmart, said there may have been political pressure to get the bridge open after it had been put back eight months by weather delays.
He said: “Poor workmanship may have been to blame, but the political pressure to get the bridge open may also have been a factor. Long-suffering drivers will be unimpressed that the success of this multimillion-pound project is now reliant on a few metres of tarmac. The key to success now seems to be the weather.”
Mr Greig added: “This is a prestige project for Scotland and it is crucial Transport Scotland convinces users that its legacy will not be one of poor workmanship and delays.”
Scottishconservativestransport spokesman Jamie Greene said: “This SNP government opened the bridge with a £1.5 million celebration party and used it as a symbol of their stewardship of the country. All the while they knew there were problems with the road surface, that these problems would have to be fixed and the bridge would have to be closed shortly after opening it.
“At no point were road users, whose daily lives are now thrown into disarray, informed there were impending closures.”
Scottish Labour transport spokesman Neil Bibby said: “Transport Scotland has known about these faults for months and they have chosen to keep that information from the public.
“The SNP transport minister must give a full explanation and account for his handling of the project.
“Either the SNP knew about this fault and choose to keep it quiet or they didn’t, which demonstrates yet again their gross mismanagement of major infrastructure projects.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-hamilton said: “Cutting the ribbon on the bridge was rushed to avoid financial penalties or adding to the existing eight-month delay.”
However, Transport Scotland denied the political pressure claim as “simply untrue”.
A spokesperson said: “The decision on when to open the Queensferry Crossing was taken solely on the expert advice of our contractors, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors.
“The road was also subject to independent inspection prior to opening. Snagging issues are normal on a project of this scale and complexity.”