The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Bridge opening delayed until summer
Roads: Queensferry Crossing will not be ready until July at the earliest
The opening date for the Queensferry Crossing has been pushed back to the summer because of adverse weather.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said high winds are to blame for the delay to the £1.3 billion project, which will now miss its contractual deadline.
The new Fife to Edinburgh crossing was supposed to open to traffic in December last year, before it was deferred to May. Mr Brown said on Wednesday it would now not be ready before July, with the possibility that it could be as late as August.
Speaking at the rural economy and connectivity committee, he said wind had prevented the removal of cranes and work on cable stays and rain had stymied activities like waterproofing. Mr Brown told MSPs that contractors are “now advising that the opening to traffic date is more likely to be between midJuly and the end of August”.
He added: “While its clearly very disappointing the new bridge won’t be ready ahead of the contractual completion date, I believe it is important to take the time to make sure the bridge is built in the safest possible circumstances to the highest possible standards.”
The fresh delay means contractors Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors will not finish the job before the contractual completion date of June, so Transport Scotland could claim damages.
Mr Brown said the project is on a fixed price, which was nearly a quarter of a billion of pounds under budget, so the delay will be at no cost to the taxpayer.
Asked whether he could promise opening by the end of August, Mr Brown said: “I can’t give 100% guarantees.”
The economy secretary is under pressure to reveal when he knew the timetable would slip, after he was forced to come clean about a delay following press reports and a Holyrood question.
Liam Kerr, for the Scottish Conservatives, said the delay is a “huge blow” to commuters who cross the Firth of the Forth. “The SNP assured us that this project would be delivered on time.”