Queensferry Crossing opening timetable 'realistic'

Engineers building the new Queensferry Crossing have said there are no guarantees the bridge will open in May but the timetable is realistic.

The penultimate section of deck was lifted into place on Monday with the bridge expected to be fully joined up within the next fortnight.

But project leaders insisted there was a lot of work still to be done with the weather capable of disrupting plans.

The project remains within its budget of £1.35bn.

David Climie, Transport Scotland project director, said: "We're on the Forth, there is never any guarantees on weather here.

"What is changing to a degree is we become less wind susceptible when we are working on the deck, particularly as the wind shielding gets installed but we become more susceptible to rain and low temperatures, particularly for the waterproofing and the road surfacing, so there are still challenges with the weather but we're ready for them."

Michael Martin, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) project director, said: "We are adjusting our programme and our resources where they're working every day, sometimes every hour of the day in order to maximise on the productivity that we can achieve in the conditions that are thrown at us."