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| Forth Bridge emergency repairs cause delays | |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Emergency repairs being carried out on the Forth Road Bridge over the weekend have been causing delays. | |
| Traffic is being restricted to a single lane in each direction from 03:00 until noon on both Saturday and Sunday. | |
| A spokesman for Forth Road Bridge said delays had reached up to 20 minutes but the restrictions should be cleared by midday as planned. | |
| The bridge operators said if work was not completed by this weekend, it could spill over to a week day. | |
| Barry Colford, chief engineer and bridgemaster, said: "These emergency repairs are essential - if we don't get them completed at the earliest opportunity then we could face far more disruptive and costly repairs at a future date. | Barry Colford, chief engineer and bridgemaster, said: "These emergency repairs are essential - if we don't get them completed at the earliest opportunity then we could face far more disruptive and costly repairs at a future date. |
| "If the weather forecast is accurate then work will proceed as planned, however there is always the possibility of strong winds disrupting progress when you're working on the main cable 80 metres above the carriageway. | "If the weather forecast is accurate then work will proceed as planned, however there is always the possibility of strong winds disrupting progress when you're working on the main cable 80 metres above the carriageway. |
| "If work is delayed for any reason then traffic restrictions will be extended into the afternoon, or as a last resort into the next available week day between 09:00 and 16:00." | "If work is delayed for any reason then traffic restrictions will be extended into the afternoon, or as a last resort into the next available week day between 09:00 and 16:00." |
| Alternative routes | |
| Mr Colford said everything possible was being done to minimise disruption, but warned that significant delays were inevitable. | Mr Colford said everything possible was being done to minimise disruption, but warned that significant delays were inevitable. |
| He added: "We are sorry for the inconvenience it will cause. Our advice is to avoid using the bridge at these times, find an alternative route or take the train." | He added: "We are sorry for the inconvenience it will cause. Our advice is to avoid using the bridge at these times, find an alternative route or take the train." |
| Weekend traffic restrictions will also be required on Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April, and on two further weekends after Easter on dates still to be confirmed. | Weekend traffic restrictions will also be required on Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April, and on two further weekends after Easter on dates still to be confirmed. |
| The repairs were originally scheduled for last weekend after an inspection identified cracked nuts at both ends of one of the bolts that hold the vertical hanger ropes to the bridge's main suspension cables, but high winds meant it had to be postponed. | The repairs were originally scheduled for last weekend after an inspection identified cracked nuts at both ends of one of the bolts that hold the vertical hanger ropes to the bridge's main suspension cables, but high winds meant it had to be postponed. |