Bridge objectors call for change to system as all concerns thrown out

The Forth Crossing Bill was the first piece of legislation to be dealt with under a new procedure where an independent assessor heard the evidence and produced a report for MSPs.

The objectors managed to secure some concessions before the formal hearings got under way.

But all the issues aired in front of the assessor - including the call for a direct link from the bridge to the M9 - were dismissed when the committee of MSPs scrutinising the project reported earlier this month.

Martin Gallagher, of Queensferry and District Community Council, said the whole process seemed designed to suit the parliament and ordinary people faced tight deadlines to lodge their objections at every stage.

He said: "It was a very onerous task, particularly for the community council because we took on the role of lead objector. We were tasked with drafting and collating the responses.

"We had two weeks to prepare witness statements on why we were still objecting - that was not a particular problem.

Then we had a rebuttal from Transport Scotland, which was 300 pages. We had 14 days to read that, interpret it and draft our own rebuttal.

"It was a ludicrous timetable. These are people who work full-time, people who have children and other family members to look after. We are not full-time paid administrators.

"Transport Scotland had tight deadlines too, but they have full-time staff and people who were brought in especially to deal with this evidence."

He said the objectors were trying to look on the positive side despite their proposed changes being rejected.

He said: "As a result of dialogue before the hearings, there were quite a few things able to be resolved. We had safety concerns about junction 1a to the M9 and Transport Scotland took that on board and improved it.

"The Ferrymuir roundabout was initially going to be replaced by a signal-controlled crossroads, but evidence shows crossroads are more dangerous than roundabouts. That's now going to stay.

"And there have been significant improvements to the code of construction practice (governing noise and working hours)."

Edinburgh West Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith, who helped the objectors present their case at the hearings, backed the call for a rethink of the new procedures.

She said: "I'm not convinced it all worked as effectively or fairly as I would have hoped.

"I was acting as a poor man's QC up against the expensive lawyers working for Transport Scotland.

"It was ordinary people who were going through the hoops to fit in with parliamentary rules about what they could and couldn't put to the assessor, but every single objection has been dismissed.

"They did a phenomenal amount of work, but their perception is that it has been a complete waste of time."