Forth Road Bridge closed as 70mph winds batter West Fife
Matt Meade • Published 23 May 2011 09:30
18 Comments
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A fallen tree closed Craigluscar Road, Milesmark, this afternoon (Pic: Mike Higgins).
WINDS measuring up to 70mph have forced the closure of the Forth Road Bridge to ALL traffic as stormy conditions continue to cause disruption on West Fife roads.
Bridge operators closed the bridge just after 4pm and confirmed in a statement, "Due to exceptionally strong winds the Forth Road Bridge is currently closed to all vehicles."
A total of FIVE roads in West Fife have also been closed by police due to broken branches, foliage and even fallen trees caused by gusts of up to 70mph.
These include the A907 Dunfermline to Alloa (West of Bogside) and the C38 Inzievar Road in Oakley.
The Coal Road in Dunfermline, which links Pittencrieff Street with Milton Green, closed just before 5pm.
Also closed is the D10 Craigluscar to B913 Drumtuthill Road near Wellwood and the D16 Balgownie Road - A907 to A994.
Our picture (right)shows a fallen tree at the end of Craigluscar Road, Milesmark, taken by reader Mike Higgins of Cairneyhill.
A tree was uprooted in Rosyth at Queensferry Road near Tesco, blocking a path, while another fell onto the main road through Pitreavie Business Park near Dunfermline fire station forcing vehicles to swerve to avoid it.
One driver had earlier warned of poor conditions on the Coal Road, saying trying to avoid debris was "like being on a fairground ride." Blown-over bins have also been a nuisance for drivers throughout the Kingdom.
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for Fife and have advised drivers to be extra careful due to "exceptionally windy weather".
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 23 May 11
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Shah Hoorsur
Unregistered User
May 23, 18:06
Report commentI had to cross the Forth bridge twice this afternoon during the high winds; on both sides of the Forth, all the overhead gantries on the bridge approach roads had "FRB Open To Cars Only" warning signs, yet I witnessed numerous high-sided vans and HGV's crossing the bridge without anyone from the FETA vans at either side stopping them.
Heading South on the bridge, I was 2 cars behind an articulated HGV in the outside lane. Several times, I thought that his load of wooden trusses was going to either come off or even worse, cause the truck to tip over, the wind was so bad. One can only imagine the carnage and delays this would cause to other road users.
Perhaps someone from FETA could comment on why HGV's are able to proceed through the stoppage signs without any restrictions?
Recommend?
Yes 26
No 1
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yorkshire lass
Unregistered User
May 23, 19:16
Report commentThe bridge seems to have diminished in size somewhat since I was last on it judging by that photo.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 2
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fifer
Unregistered User
May 23, 21:28
Report commenti cross the bridge by car at least twice daily and have regularly witnessed the same events as "SHAH HOORSUR" i.e,bridge closed to high sided vehicles but high sideds still crossing from both directions, also witnessed motorcycles crossing and vehicles with trailers carrying loads all breaching the bans,and vans crossing when a cars only restriction is in place, i also crossed the bridge one very windy morning while there was a hgv ban in force and was following behind an hgv whose side tarpaulin had blown loose and was being dragged about 20 feet behind him on the road blocking both carriageways all this when bridge vehicles sit in the layby with beacons flashing but making no attempt to intervene. these events surely were not only witnessed by myself ?? When will this madness end? probably when someone is killed, and then the rules will be enforced for a little while, if the cameras on the bridge and approaches were used with number plate recognition and summonses issued for dangerous driving to the owners of the offending vehicles, maybe the word would get around, and the bridge might be a less dangerous place.
Recommend? Yes 16
No 0
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fifer
Unregistered User
May 23, 21:30
Report commenti cross the bridge by car at least twice daily and have regularly witnessed the same events as "SHAH HOORSUR" i.e,bridge closed to high sided vehicles but high sideds still crossing from both directions, also witnessed motorcycles crossing and vehicles with trailers carrying loads all breaching the bans,and vans crossing when a cars only restriction is in place, i also crossed the bridge one very windy morning while there was a hgv ban in force and was following behind an hgv whose side tarpaulin had blown loose and was being dragged about 20 feet behind him on the road blocking both carriageways all this when bridge vehicles sit in the layby with beacons flashing but making no attempt to intervene. these events surely were not only witnessed by myself ?? When will this madness end? probably when someone is killed, and then the rules will be enforced for a little while, if the cameras on the bridge and approaches were used with number plate recognition and summonses issued for dangerous driving to the owners of the offending vehicles, maybe the word would get around, and the bridge might be a less dangerous place.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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woodburner
Unregistered User
May 23, 21:33
Report commentIs the stagecoach 747 running to the airport I hear the bridge is closed to traffic
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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woodburner
Unregistered User
May 23, 21:35
Report comment -
Jez1
Unregistered User
May 23, 21:46
Report commentBridge workers do not have powers to stop vehicles - only the police can do that. When the police do turn up to stop vehicles at the bridge it causes big delays for eveyone else!
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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Ive got an Idea....
Unregistered User
May 23, 22:43
Report commentIt snows.... Bridge Closed...
Its windy... Bridge Closed...
Hmm.... lets build a new Forth Road 'Bridge'....
Erm... TUNNELL!!!!!! - might be more expensive but alot more practical!! No more of a standstill because a change in the weather!
Or why not take a leaf out of other countries books.... we aint got the worse weather around... most others seem to cope fine!
Recommend? Yes 18
No 1
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fifer
Unregistered User
May 24, 06:56
Report commentthe new severn bridge is similar size to forth road bridge and was designed and built with wind deflectors on sides of the THREE lane carriageways, and very rarely closed due to weather conditions, can we learn something from this ?
Recommend? Yes 4
No 0
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decking man
Unregistered User
May 24, 08:36
Report commentplease please a tunnel dohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I was one of the unfortunate passengers standing on a stagecoach 55 bus from edinburgh bus station to ferry toll - via kincardine bridge, its not pleasant being packed into a fully laden bus i.e. standing for nearly 3 hours with no leg movement and pathetic air conditioning was ridiculous.
Why oh why are we building a 3rd bridge ,myself and thousands of other distraught passengers and car drivers should now be publically demanding a rethink on a bridge and consider switching to a tunnel.As some designer said they could build the concrete sections in the dockyard and move each section out into position and sink it into place.
Please dont give me costs etc of switching to a tunnel.the governent is considering scrapping a 2nd carrier so choosing a tunnel is not beyond scope.
ps why wasnt there police to section the traffic of the motorway onto the eckline junction to kincardine bridge ?
pps why doesnt the government give the bridge authorities the remit to stop lorries etc from crossing the bridge ?
Recommend? Yes 4
No 5
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PitcorthieMiss
Unregistered User
May 24, 10:40
Report comment#Decking Man
You may want to ask Stagecoach Fife why the driver of a X54 bus travelling from Edinburgh to Dundee (via Ferrytoll) crossed the bridge at approximately 3pm yesterday, despite all of the warning signs stating that the bridge was open to cars only. I have never been so terrified in my life, at one point it seemed as though the bus was going to tip over, the way a sudden gust of wind caught it side-on; however when I got off the bus the driver shrugged his shoulders with a 'couldn't care less' attitude. The staff at Dunfermline bus station were equally unconcerned, so I've written a letter of complaint to Brian Soutar, head of Stagecoach.
I'm told that local Stagecoach management were leaving the decision on whether to cross the bridge or divert via Kincardine with the drivers, even though the bridge was open to cars only.
From my experience, I would have preferred to go via the Kincardine Bridge and arrive at Dunfermline later than normal, rather than go through that again.
If time is of the essence, perhaps you could have got off the bus at the South side of the bridge and phoned a local taxi? Roughly £5 to Ferry Toll (that was my fare in February when I went from the Dakota Hotel to Inverkeithing).
Recommend? Yes 13
No 5
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Coco Aaine
Unregistered User
May 24, 12:28
Report commentNow a tunnel, there is an idea. This would bring into play some ludicrous advice from local police for us central people to watch for terrorist threats. With a tunnel, I might just see a fraction of credibility in such advice.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 2
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NEILY-J
Unregistered User
May 24, 13:46
Report comment -
Jeely Nay
Unregistered User
May 24, 16:30
Report commentMmmmmm, battered winds, wonder how that tastes?
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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NEILY-J
Unregistered User
May 25, 15:13
Report commentaye man, pure battered wind hahahahahaha ken
Recommend? Yes 1
No 5
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jan the man
Unregistered User
May 26, 15:30
Report comment -
essexgirl
Unregistered User
May 26, 16:32
Report commentWe moved to Fife nearly 35 years ago and at that time whenever there were high winds the police stopped high-sided vehicles which were approaching either end of the bridge. Why doesn't this happen now?
I have always thought the tunnel was the way to go. Suspect the decision to build a bridge had nothing to do with cost but with lobbying by interested parties. Who knew who in the parliament, I wonder....
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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cat lover
Unregistered User
May 26, 18:24
Report commentI am wondering why there were no restrictions on the Kincardine and Clackmaninshire bridges. I crossed twice in the afternoon and the sight of a lorry with tarpaulin sides blowing about and looking like it was going to tip at any second was really scary. Surely there are the same dangers on these bridges as there is on the FRB?
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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