Forth Road Bridge repairs 'progressing well'

The work was postponed last week due to high winds

Emergency repairs which have caused delays on the Forth Road Bridge have been going well and could finish ahead of schedule on Sunday.

The works, to replace two large bolts near the top of the north tower, require weekend lane restrictions running from 03:00 until noon.

Delays reached up to 35 minutes on Saturday but engineers hope to be finished before midday on Sunday.

Further work is due for the end of the month and on two weekends after Easter.

Forth Bridge authorities said that if the weather remained favourable on Sunday then it may be possible to lift restrictions early.

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."

Alternative routes

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."

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 they had to be postponed.