£1.6m bridge barriers to stop wind toppling trucks

Published on Monday 25 April 2011 15:47

BOSSES at the Forth Road Bridge are preparing to spend £1.6 million shielding high-sided vehicles from heavy winds.

&#149 One of the lorries that overturned in high winds on the Forth Road Bridge in 2008

Barriers which shelter lorries and buses from dangerous gusts are set to be added next to the structure's main towers after accidents involving vehicles toppling over.

However, the measures will not be enough to keep the bridge open to high-sided vehicles during heavy winds, bridge chiefs admitted.

The Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) said the measures were being carried out in response to two incidents on the bridge in early 2008 during which HGVs overturned in high winds.

&#149 Is it worth spending 1.6m on wind shields for the Forth Road Bridge? Vote here

Both accidents led to the temporary closure of the bridge, causing widespread disruption for travellers.

Chief engineer and bridgemaster Barry Colford said a series of tests were set to be carried out on the preferred option, a series of 5.25-metre-high pillars next to the main towers.

He said: "The Forth Road Bridge has operated since opening in 1964 with very few serious incidents or fatalities caused by high winds. The procedure for dealing with traffic and high winds has evolved over the years to reflect changes in risk management.

"Although the two incidents in 2008 happened on a live carriageway with potentially serious consequences for users, and resulted in massive disruption, it should be stressed that this type of incident is rare.

"The probability of a wind-susceptible vehicle overturning on the bridge during high winds is relatively low and the outcome of that event would be unlikely to cause significant long-term structural damage, but it could potentially have serious consequences for other users and result in significant but short-term disruption to traffic."

He said it would be possible to "retrofit" the bridge with the wind shielding, costing around 1.63m.

However, the earliest the system could be installed would be 2012/13 - just three years before the new 1.7 billion bridge is due to be completed.

Lawrence Marshall, chairman of the ForthRight Alliance, which opposes the construction of the new crossing, said it was only within the last year or so that engineers had been able to establish that wind shielding would not put undue amounts of stress on the bridge.

He said: "The plan is that the new bridge would carry HGV traffic, but should there be an incident, they would be able to use the old crossing almost instantaneously.

"The wind shielding could be useful in those circumstances and also for the double-decker buses, which will continue to use the old bridge."

Last week Transport Scotland agreed a deal with an international consortium of contractors to begin work on the new Forth crossing.