Drivers cross off Road Bridge

Despite warnings that a massive increase in vehicles is crippling the ageing crossing, the number of cars and lorries travelling over the Firth of Forth has not increased for two years.

In 2004, the number of northbound crossings actually fell by more than 200,000 on the previous year, while this year is set to see only around a one per cent rise - still below the 12 million journeys made in 2003.

In previous years, the Forth Road Bridge persistently broke traffic level records, with an average 3.5 per cent growth.

Despite their differences, both anti-toll campaigners and environmentalists today said the latest figures prove the need for a new bridge is being exaggerated.

However, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) said extensive roadworks have deterred many motorists, and insisted the underlying rate of growth is still high.

Combined with southbound trips, the 41-year-old bridge is struggling to cope with around 24 million vehicles a year - twice its design capacity.

FETA's official policy is to push for a new bridge over the estuary, a popular move in Fife but fiercely opposed by most politicians south of the Forth. The Scottish Executive has never indicated any support for the plans.

John McGoldrick, from the National Alliance Against Tolls, said the 1 charge has discouraged people from using the bridge, and plans to increase this by a further 3 will hit drivers harder.

"The latest traffic figures confirm the previous trend which is that although traffic is up on last year, it is down on two years ago," he said.

"We believe that there are various things that can be done to improve bridge capacity, not least by removing the tolls.

"What we want are policies and practices that maximise the use that can be made of the bridge and its approaches, and not a policy that seems to be intended to drive customers away."

By the end of November, just short of 11 million vehicles had crossed from Edinburgh to Fife this year. The busiest month was August when 1.1 million motorists headed north. However, the level of traffic has so far only risen by 1.39 per cent on last year.

In January and February, the number of vehicles actually fell by nearly five per cent.

Friends of the Earth Scotland's head of research, Stuart Hay - who supports higher tolls - said: "Nationally, traffic levels are rising, so there is still an urgent need for FETA to start implementing its long-promised actions to reduce traffic levels on the current bridge."

FETA chairman Lawrence Marshall said: "Although the amount of traffic has gone down, that is artificial because the underlying level of growth has not reduced."