Forth Road Bridge fully reopened after weekend repair work

Favourable weather allowed the weekend repair works to be completed ahead of schedule

Emergency repairs being carried out on the Forth Road Bridge over the weekend have finished ahead of schedule.

The works, to replace two large bolts near the top of the north tower, required lane restrictions.

Forth Bridge authorities said the favourable weather had allowed engineers to complete their work early with both carriageways fully reopened by 11:00 on Sunday.

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

Delays reached up to 35 minutes on Saturday morning as the repairs were carried out. No disruption to traffic was reported on Sunday and lane restrictions which were due to be in place until noon were lifted early.

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.