Bridge chiefs get corrosion message across

EFFORTS to extend the lifespan of the Forth Road Bridge were discussed at a special conference in New York.

Barry Colford, depute general manager of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), made the keynote presentation at a prestigious bridge operators' conference on Monday.

He told delegates from around the world about the work under way at the bridge.

FETA engineers discovered corrosion in the bridge's main cables following an inspection in 2004.

In light of FETA's findings, the operators of England's Severn and Humber bridges ordered similar inspections.

Mr Colford said: "It's great that the work we're doing at the Forth Road Bridge is being recognised in this way.

"There are a relatively small number of large suspension bridges in the world, and these conferences are an excellent way of sharing best practice with our counterparts. It's not every week we top the bill, but this shows the level of international interest in the bridge."