Engineers "on track" to re-open Forth Road Bridge by January 4th

Published 14th Dec 2015

Engineers are on track to reopen the Forth Road Bridge by January 4.

Amey said it aims to complete work to repair a crack under the carriageway by the start of the first working week of the new year.

The timetable is dependent on the weather, however. All traffic has been diverted along other routes since December 4 after the fault was discovered.

Chartered engineer Mark Arndt, Amey's account director responsible for the bridge, said work is on track to have the key transport link back open on January 4. He said: Our engineers are working around the clock to get the bridge reopened to that timetable.

It's weather dependent, however.''

Scottish Transport Minister Derek Mackay announced last week that a diversion route on the A985 between Cairneyhill and Kincardine would now be open to light goods vehicles such as vans, and to all vehicles at weekends.

They had previously been diverted along other routes towards the Clackmannanshire Bridge, freeing up the Kincardine Bridge for heavy goods vehicles and buses. The vehicle restrictions are to be completely lifted on December 23 to coincide with the start of the holiday period.