Transport Scotland have announced that the large car park next to the current Forth road bridge on the South side of the Forth will be closed to heavy goods vehicles from the 8th of August. This is to allow it to be used for staff cars and coaches. Construction will begin on the site of the existing coach and staff car parks for the Forth replacement crossing education/contact centre and also Transport Scotland’s new National Traffic Control Centre.
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Tags: contact centre, Forth Replacement Crossing Education centre, National Traffic Control Centre, visitors centre
BBC News recently ran a story announcing that archaeological were to begin this month (August, 2010) following the award of a contract to Edinburgh based company Headland Archaeology. According to the report, initial studies will focus on the area of St.Margaret’s Hope and the Echline Fields, sites identified by Transport Scotland and Historic Scotland as being of interest. Fife newspaper The Courier added that investigation will involve “geophysical survey, trial trenches and hand excavation”.
The Forthspan bid was recently rocked by news that the worlds largest bridge builder, Vinci Construction has pulled out of the bid. It was promptly replaced by MT Hojgaard who were involved in the building of the Oresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark. As reported by The Scotsman, there continue to be concerns about the ability of both Forthspan and it’s rival the Forth Crossing Constructors Group to last right through the tendering process and to provide a competitive bid.
The Forthspan collaboration includes major constructors Balfour Beatty, Morgan EST and BAM Nuttall and now joined by MT Hojgaard who have replaced Vinci, previously the leading organisation. Opposing them is the Forth Crossing Constructors Group, a consortium consisting of Morrison Construction, Hochtief, American Bridge and ACS.
I don’t come across many of these, but I did find an objection raised by Cala Homes against the proposed work on the M9 junction to facilitate the forth replacement crossing access around Winchburgh. Interestingly, it looks like Transport Scotland proposes to lease the land from Cala during the course of the work, rather than using it’s compulsory purchase powers. Have any other formal objections in writing? Let me know.
Tags: archaeology, Cala Scotland, Forth Crossing Constructors, Forthspan, Headland Archaeology, new forth bridge progress
Cancelling the replacement forth crossing would cost over £22million according to the Scottish executive., Responding to a question raised in the Scottish Parliament on the 14th of July, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson gave this total explaining that wind down and staff redeployment costs would be in addition to this figure and could not at present be estimated.
Work has also begun to move a sewerage pipe near Port Edgar, some 200metres to the sast as part of preparation for construction to commence on the new Forth bridge. Scottish Water has been instructed by Transport Scotland to start this work, who are outsourcing it to a local firm AMC Subsea based in Leith, Edinburgh. By moving the pipe now, it will not delay construction on the bridge when this is due to start, estimated next year.
An economic feasibility study has been completed on the replacement forth bridge, by S.C. Wamuziri of Napier University and A.G.F. Clearie of engineering firm Jacobs (the current project managers). It is available to purchase from it’s publishers ‘Emerald’. If anyone has a copy, I would be interested in reading it.
I’ve recently become aware of the blog called A place to stand written by a political nay-sayer, blogging on amongst other things the replacement Forth Road bridge. While his posts (as blogs inevitably are) are all personal opinion, they do make an interesting read as a counter to the usual political dogma we have thrown at us. Along similiar lines, the Caledonian Mercury online paper, recently posted an opinion piece by Lawrence Marshall, chairman of the Forthright Alliance re-affirming his opinion on why we do not need a replacement crossing, but should repair the existing bridge instead.
And finally, chances are you shouldn’t use facebook at work. You probably do, but really you shouldn’t. Well, our civil servants have found a good way around all this. With the current social media crazy, why not join facebook under a work account, and then it must be OK. I present to you, the Forth Road Bridge facebook account run by our government funded friends at FETA.
Back in April it was announced that a Historic Scotland archaelogical team was appointed by Transport Scotland to oversee excavations this summer. This work is being undertaken now so it can be completed ahead of the ‘main’ date for construction to start in 2011.
This construction will, in part, be overseen by Mr David Climie, who was appointed Project Directory by Transport Scotland. He has a range of previous engineering experience working on bridges including the Acoma Narrows Bridge project in the United States in 2007 and China’s Jiangyin suspension bridge.
Another man in the spotlight is Steve Kite, who has done a short promotional video of Arup’s involvement in the Forth Replacement Crossing.
The project has moved forward politically recently, with overwhelming support in the Scottish Parliament when put to a vote. Green MSP’s were the only objectors with Margo MacDonald and Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) abstaining. As part of the bill, following continued protest by local residents. These measures include limits on working hours and other measures to reduce noise and disruption. For some, including Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson, work on the bridge can not start soon enough.
Finally, the current Forth Road Bridge operator FETA, is keen not to be cut out of the picture, calling on Transport Scotland to give it the right to manage the replacement Forth Crossing when it is finally opened. This may seem logical, although did not go down particularly well when it was also announced a few weeks later that the top brass of the body have run up £12k of travel expenses including many trips abroad.
On the 29th of January, during a parliamentary question and answer session, George Foulkes asked how much consultation has occurred between the Forth Replacement Crossing team (i.e. Transport Scotland) and the local communities. The following table was presented as a record of meetings:
| Event | Topic/Purpose | Date |
| Queensferry & District CC | Presentation on the Forth Replacement Crossing Study | September 2007 |
| Introductory briefing | April 2008 | |
| Project update | September 2008 | |
| Managed Crossing Strategy briefing | January 2009 | |
| Briefing on amendments to roads and junctions (with Queensferry Business Association) | March 2009 | |
| Landscaping and mitigation briefing (with Queensferry Business Association) | June 2009 | |
| Project update – noise, traffic, Ferrymuir amendments and forthcoming activity | November 2009 | |
| Port Edgar Marina | Introductory briefing | June 2008 |
| Port Edgar Yacht Club | Project update | February 2009 |
| Queensferry Ambition | Introductory briefing | April 2008 |
| Queensferry Business Association | Presentation on the Forth Replacement Crossing Study | September 2007 |
| Introductory briefing | April 2008 | |
| Project update | September 2008 | |
| Managed Crossing Strategy briefing | January 2009 | |
| Briefing on amendments to roads and junctions (with QDCC) | March 2009 | |
| Landscaping and mitigation briefing (with QDCC) | June 2009 | |
| Queensferry Vision | Introductory briefing | April 2008 |
| Project update | September 2008 | |
| Clufflats Residents Representatives | Project update | September 2008 |
| Managed Crossing Strategy briefing | January 2009 | |
| Clufflats Residents | Landscaping, mitigation and construction briefings | June 2009 |
| Project update | November 2009 | |
| Dundas Home Farm Residents | Managed Crossing Strategy briefing | April 2009 |
| Project update – landscaping and mitigation | July 2009 | |
| Project update – landscaping and mitigation | October 2009 | |
| Echline Corner Consultative Alliance | Project update | October 2009 |
| Project update | November 2009 | |
| Echline Residents | Landscaping, mitigation and construction briefings | June 2009 |
| Project update | October 2009 | |
| Inchgarvie Residents | Landscaping, mitigation and construction briefing | June 2009 |
| Project update | December 2009 | |
| Linn Mill Residents Association | Introductory briefing | April 2008 |
| Project update | June 2008 | |
| Project update | September 2008 | |
| Managed Crossing Strategy briefing | January 2009 | |
| Landscaping and mitigation briefing | July 2009 | |
| Society Road Residents | Landscaping, mitigation and construction briefing | June 2009 |
| Project update | November 2009 | |
| Springfield Residents | Landscaping, mitigation and construction briefing | June 2009 |
| Project update | November 2009 | |
| Scoutstoun Park Residents Association | Project update | November 2009 |
Source: Scottish Parliament, 2009.
A follow up question asked about the status of listed buildings in the area and whether any of those with listed status would have that status changed. While the answer was that no listed buildings would have that status changed, a fair number of buildings would be impacted upon by the replacement Forth bridge. These include:
- St. Margaret’s Hope
- Ferry Craig
- Dalmeny Church
- Inchgarvie House
St. Margaret’s Hope arch will need to be dismantled and relocated.
The full transcript can be seen on the website
Tags: Forth Replacement Crossing, Scottish Parliament, South Queensferry