Second Forth road bridge 'will add to congestion'

Published on 02/10/2004 11:10

AN Edinburgh MP today hit out at controversial plans for a second Forth road bridge.

Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, claimed today the proposed bridge would increase congestion and the traffic gridlock in his own constituency.

He said: "I know, for instance, that substantial numbers of people employed at workplaces in my constituency, such as the Scottish Executive at Victoria Quay in Leith, commute from their homes in Fife and other areas north of the Forth.

"These workers should be given improved opportunities to travel by public transport to and from their places of work in my constituency to help reduce existing traffic congestion.

"The proposals from the Forth Estuary Transport Authority for a second Forth road bridge would by contrast encourage more people to travel into work in Leith by car, and as a result increase traffic congestion further."

The MP also insisted there were still question marks over funding for the extension of the proposed Edinburgh tram network into Fife.

"Accordingly, any suggestion that the new crossing would carry tram or light rail seems to me to be nebulous. In effect, therefore, the proposed multi-modal crossing would be unlikely to be anything else than a second road bridge, perhaps with various priority measures for public transport."

He urged bridge bosses to increase the tolls on private cars at peak hours and use the revenue to boost public transport, such as bus and rail services, and set up a high-speed direct ferry link from south Fife to Leith and Granton.