New Forth bridge delay angers hard-hit hauliers
THE Forth Road Bridge will not fully reopen to lorries this month as promised, but a fixed number will be able to cross at night-time.
Transport Scotland announced yesterday that only lorries heading north will be allowed to use the crossing during the initial period.
Scotland’s road haulage industry condemned the ‘devastating’ news, which will see the vital link remain closed to trucks during the day for another month.
Hauliers, who have already lost an estimated £37million because of the closure, renewed their demands for compensation from the Scottish Government.
The latest delay is the result of recent bad weather and the discovery of faults in two more ‘pin loca- tions’ at the end of last month. An HGV ‘trial’ started last night, with plans to let only 600 trucks use the northbound section between 11pm and 4am nightly. Before the bridge closed, around 7,000 lorries used it every day.
It means most HG V swill continue to face a 50-mile detour that adds around £30 to fuel bills.
Richard Burnett of the Road Haulage Association said: ‘ Since the closure, the financial impact on the thousands of hauliers who are either based in or making regular journeys to Scotland has been massive. The Scottish Government must find the funds to compensate those operators who, through no fault of their own, have found themselves out of pocket.’
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: ‘Of course there will be a degree of disappointment that there is not unrestricted access. I know they [hauliers] are sensitive about t he i mpact on t heir industry.
‘I appreciate the economic impact and the disruption it has caused. I am sure there is an appreciation that we are doing everything we can to address an unforeseen fault.’
When asked if he was sure the bridge would f ully reopen in mid-March, Mr Mackay said: ‘I am as confident as I can be.’
Chris White, who runs Collier Haulage, based in Cowdenbeath, Fife, said: ‘The closure has affected us seriously. We are struggling to keep men in work.
‘Men who are used to working 12-hour days have had to cut back to less than eight hours.
‘It has been bad enough with the weather situation – combined with the bridge it is devastating.’
The overnight trials will operate every night, subject to weather conditions. Traffic signals will allow one HGV onto the bridge every 30 seconds.
A ‘stack’ system will hold lorries waiting to use the bridge in a queue but industry experts fear this could cause problems.
Chris MacRae of the Freight Transport Association said: ‘We will need to review how practical it is. If companies are not confident they will be able to get on it [the bridge] they won’t use it.
‘Had some of our members known about the longer closure they could have worked to relocate depots. One of our members estimated they were losing £20,000 to £40,000 a week.’
Mark Arndt of bridge operator Amey said: ‘Our teams are working flat out to complete the work necessary to fully reopen the bridge but our timetable is highly dependent on the weather and our priority has to be safety.’
‘The impact has been massive’