Bridge bus lane plans shot down

Published on Friday 29 April 2011 17:23

PLANS to turn the Forth Road Bridge into a "public transport corridor" have been undermined after it emerged many bus companies could choose to use the new £1.7 billion crossing instead.

The existing road bridge is set to be used by buses and bikes once the new crossing is opened to traffic in 2016.

It has now emerged that there will be no restrictions on buses using the new bridge, with some operators set to opt for it in favour of the existing structure.

Critics had already hit out at plans to spend more than 100 million retaining the Forth Road Bridge for just 300 vehicles a day.

However, it now seems even fewer vehicles will use the old bridge, with buses destined for Glasgow and the west coast favouring the new crossing instead.

George Mair, director of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said bus companies would opt for the new crossing to avoid having to come into Edinburgh.

He said: "The vast majority of buses will be coming in to service the city of Edinburgh, but equally there could be occasions where buses or coaches heading for the west coast end up being dragged into Edinburgh - that doesn't make sense. It's sensible to keep the option open in terms of buses using the new bridge."

Last year critics of the new crossing said the existing Forth Road Bridge was set to become the "world's most expensive bus lane" due to the amount of money needing to be spent on its upkeep.

Bridge bosses have committed to a huge programme of improvements over the next 15 years on top of expected annual running costs of around 5m - even though just a few hundred buses will end up using the crossing.

According to figures produced by Transport Scotland for a series of public exhibitions, the new bridge will carry 92,000 cars every day in 2017, with more motorists crossing the Forth due to improved journey times.

Since the abolition of tolls in 2008 all funding for the existing bridge has come from the Scottish Government, including a 112m capital plan for improvements such as cable dehumidification and tower strengthening work over the next 15 years.

Last year industry figures told the Scottish Parliament's transport committee that some bus companies would have "no alternative" but to use the new bridge, adding that the possibility of installing a bus lane on the crossing should be explored.

Speaking at that time, Steve Walker, operations director for Stagecoach in the east of Scotland, said: "Whatever happens with the public transport corridor - for example, if buses have to use the new crossing - we need to consider the wider problems.

"Those are not about crossing the estuary, but about getting to the bridge on either side of the estuary"

A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland confirmed there would be no restrictions on buses using the new bridge.