Delays warning for Forth bridge

Emergency repairs being carried out on the Forth Road Bridge over the weekend are likely to cause lengthy delays, its operators have warned.

Traffic will be restricted to a single lane in each direction from 03:00 until noon on both Saturday and Sunday.

Delays of more than 90 minutes are expected in both directions.

The bridge operators said if work was not completed by the end of the weekend, it could spill over to a week day.

Barry Colford, chief engineer and bridgemaster, said: "These emergency repairs are essential - if we don't get them completed at the earliest opportunity then we could face far more disruptive and costly repairs at a future date.

"If the weather forecast is accurate then work will proceed as planned, however there is always the possibility of strong winds disrupting progress when you're working on the main cable 80 metres above the carriageway.

"If work is delayed for any reason then traffic restrictions will be extended into the afternoon, or as a last resort into the next available week day between 09:00 and 16:00."

Mr Colford said everything possible was being done to minimise disruption, but warned that significant delays were inevitable.

He added: "We are sorry for the inconvenience it will cause. Our advice is to avoid using the bridge at these times, find an alternative route or take the train."

Weekend traffic restrictions will also be required on Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April, and on two further weekends after Easter on dates still to be confirmed.

The repairs were originally scheduled for last weekend after an inspection identified cracked nuts at both ends of one of the bolts that hold the vertical hanger ropes to the bridge's main suspension cables, but high winds meant it had to be postponed.