Swinney under pressure over funding gap for new Forth Bridge

THE Scottish Government today came under opposition pressure to spell out how it plans to fund the new £4 billion Forth Bridge.

Liberal Democrats voiced concerns that Finance Secretary John Swinney is delaying a decision on the issue. And they called for ministers to end the uncertainty before the Scottish Parliament's summer break, which begins at the end of the month.

Lib Dem finance spokesman Liam McArthur said: "Ministers are struggling to find ways to pay for the bridge without introducing an element of tolling.

"Businesses and commuters want certainty and until the SNP are able to say where the money would come from there is none.

"The SNP have absolutely no idea how they will fund the bridge.

"It is time for the SNP to give a straight answer to a straight forward question – where will the 4bn come from?"

The issue was due to come under the spotlight today when MSPs debate the government's plans to create a Scottish Futures Trust to replace the private finance initiative as a method of funding public projects.