Published: Thursday, 17th April, 2008 9:20am

Consultants refuse to rule out tolls on new crossing

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A TIMETABLE for the construction of the new Forth Bridge has been revealed but there are no guarantees that the bridge – due for completion in 2016 – will be toll free.

When asked about tolls at a media briefing in North Queensferry yesterday (Wednesday) Alan Seywright, of project consultants Jacobs Arup, said, 'We can"t speculate at the moment. We are looking into procurement at the moment.'

He said discussions with the Scottish Government about funding for the bridge would come 'later this year', adding, 'we are working on developing the funding.'

But even the idea of tolls on the new bridge has come up against staunch opposition from some West Fife politicians after their lengthy battle to get tolls scrapped on the current Forth Road Bridge.

Member of the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) and councillor for Dunfermline North, David Mogg, said, 'The SNP removed the tolls on the last bridge in Scotland and we intend to keep it that way.'

He said that if a toll was introduced on the new bridge, 'We are simply taxing people in Fife to visit the capital.'

An SNP colleague and councillor for West Fife and Coastal Villages, Bill Walker, commented, 'Unless there is an earthquake and a change of government I can"t see it happening.'

Construction will begin on the new bridge in 2011.

It is expected that the bridge will have sufficient strength to cope with buses and heavy good vehicles (HGV).

But concerns over the timescale for the bridge"s construction have been harboured HGV lobbyists Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Gavin Scott, FTA head of policy, said they were relying on the old bridge for now, 'We have to hope and pray that the dehumidification slows down the rusting.'

He said the only alternative for HGVs would be to go round via Kincardine.

'Either that or we may as well switch the lights out in Dunfermline and go home. We have to have preventative measures,' he told the Press.

Ainslie McLaughlin, of Transport Scotland, said that it was unlikely that the new bridge would suffer the periods of weather induced closure that the old bridge is blighted by.

He commented, 'We will incorporate wind shielding, like the Second Severn Crossing, which has a three metres high wind shield and has never been closed yet.'

He also indicated that the bridge would be 'multi modal' to encourage people to use modes of transport other than cars.

Mr McLaughlin explained there would be, 'Two lanes for general traffic on each side and then in the middle for buses, trams or light rail at some future stage.'

He added, 'There is lot of flexibility for the corridor in the middle.'

The bridge will also have space for pedestrians and cyclists to travel.

Jacobs Arup – who have worked on crossings in Hong Kong, Scandinavia and on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - hope to confirm the bridge design by early 2009.

Three early design concepts have been mooted, including one with needle style towers.

Forth Replacement Crossing project manager, Lawrence Shakman, said, 'These are the very early design concepts and we will be discussing them with Transport Scotland and Architecture and Design Scotland as we go forward. They will be dictated by the scope for connecting roads.'

Environmental surveys, ground investigations and aerial surveys of the area where the bridge will be built are ongoing and due for completion by mid 2008.

And it is expected that the largest proportion of the traffic accessing the bridge from the north - some 29 percent - will be travelling from Dunfermline.

The current regeneration and development in Dunfermline will therefore be taken into consideration when developing the bridge"s supporting transport network.

Mr McLaughlin said, 'We want to make sure it"s part of the scheme.'