More misery for motorists as Crossing is delayed again
The Queensferry Crossing will now be completed more than two years late after transport chiefs admitted “snagging” works had been delayed again.
Evening lane closures are set to continue for almost another year.
Only two of 23 outstanding works have been completed. Two will not be finished until October next year.
Difficulties in getting resources for the finishing works have been blamed for the latest delays on the £1.35 billion bridge.
Drivers on the Queensferry Crossing face further disruption until next summer after ministers admitted work to finish the bridge had been delayed again.
Evening lane closures that should have ended last Sunday will now continue for almost a year.
Transport secretary Michael Matheson said the builders of the £1.35 billion bridge had experienced difficulties getting resources for the work.
It will now be completed more than two years late.
The only remaining tasks should have been painting the underside of the road deck.
But an updated list showed only two of 23 of the works have been completed, with seven to continue into 2019 and two not now due to be completed until next October.
This is despite Mr Matheson telling MSPS in July the Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors’ (FCBC) chairman had “given his assurance” all but the deck painting would be completed by last month.
Tasks that will not be finished until next year include work inside the deck and on gantries, external and internal painting, and cable maintenance access cradles.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency said: “Traffic management will come off in December, then return in spring to summer at night.”
Mr Matheson said: “Our contractors FCBC have indicated they have not made the progress with the snagging and finishing works as originally planned.
“The target date for completing this work was September 2018, but they have informed us they require further time.
“FCBC have said they have experienced difficulty in mobilising the resources required to complete the outstanding works.
“But they are confident they will finish all but two areas of the remaining works by December 2018, with work on the remaining areas to commence in spring 2019.
“Where possible, traffic management will only be implemented during the night, as is standard.
“In response to feedback from road users about nighttime traffic management during the summer months, additional processes have been implemented to ensure that traffic volumes are reduced prior to traffic management being installed on the bridge.”
That follows The Scotsman highlighting lanes were closed before traffic had eased.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman jamie greene said: “Commuters will conclude the SNP is playing catchup after hurrying to open the bridge triumphantly, at the expense of drivers.
Edinburgh Western Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Colehamilton said: “Residents and road users will be fearful this will mean closures and delays further down the road.”