Forth Road Bridge closure: Alternative routes

With the Forth road bridge being shut until at least New Year, many commuters lives have been thrown into chaos. Here are some alternative routes you can take.

The Clackmannanshire Bridge is one option. Picture: TSPL

By rail

ScotRail have announced that they are adding extra carriages to as many Fife trains as possible. While there have already been reports of crowded trains on the main Edinburgh-Fife route, the services have been running mostly on time, providing the only east coast link to the Capital.

Kincardine Bridge

This is the closest bridge from anyone travelling from Fife. While it does add several miles onto the regular commute route, it is one of the few alternatives. However, there were reports of tailbacks for up to 11 miles this morning during peak times.

Clackmannanshire Bridge

Almost adjacent to the Kincardine Bridge, this still suffered long tailbacks this morning, but only half of what was experienced on the Kincardine Bridge. Traffic Scotland have recommended those coming from north Fife and Dundee to divert via Perth and use this route.

Stirling A9

Depending on where you’re coming from in Fife, this could add a considerable length of time and distance onto your journey. But Traffic Scotland reported almost no delays on this route this morning. Recommendation is that people try and divert via the A91 and come into the city along the M9 east bound.

Proposed new routes

Traffic Scotland announced on Twitter that alternative routes were being looked at to help ease the congestion over the next four weeks.

Bus only lane

While there are no bus lanes to and from Kincardine, a bus only lane is being proposed to encourage commuters to use public transport and ease the delays people are facing.

Ferry Crossing

There hasn’t been a ferry crossing on the Forth since the road bridge opened in 1964, but transport Scotland have said they are looking into it as an alternative route.

A ferry crossing had been proposed in the past, looking at taking passengers from Kirkcaldy to Leith in a move to lessen bridge traffic. But the plans fell through after there was a lack of funding for the project.

Alternative ferry routes are being looked at during the bridge closure.

Hovercraft

The original trials were carried out in 2007, and plans to introduce a hovercraft passenger service were looking good to go - until Edinburgh City Council refused plans for a port in Portobello. This idea may be revisited in light of the bridge closures and disruption faced to Edinburgh workers.