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Forth Bridge jam warning
Page 19
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TRUCK DRIVERS USING the Forth Bridge should expect severe weekend delays from now until the middle of June, the bridge operators warned this week.
The hold-ups will be caused by safety checks on the main cables supporting up the bridge, which will mean a contraflow system operating from 2.30am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, together with a limited number of total closures from 7pm on Fridays until 4pm on Sundays Alastair Andrew, the bridge authority's general manager, says the checks are essential. He adds: "It would be ideal for works to be carried out overnight. However for obvious health and safety reasons we have to carry out these works during daylight hours."
Andrew reports that time devoted to maintenance on the 40year-old bridge is unlikely to decrease in future. He predicts: "If the amount of traffic continues to increase as we expect, maintenance work like this and the inconvenience it causes will become more frequent."
Last year hour-long traffic jams were a regular feature at weekends as southbound lanes were closed for almost six months for a £3.5m resurfacing project.