Forth crossing opening delayed by six months

The opening of the new £1.35bn bridge across the Forth has been delayed by six months, MSPs have been told. 

Scotland’s economy secretary Keith Brown said the Queensferry Crossing will now open in May 2017.

Brown said the delay had been caused by "adverse weather conditions" in April and May, as he confirmed that the December 2016 deadline will not be met.

He said the delay was a "very recent development" caused by high winds earlier this year, in a statement to MSPs.

RELATED CONTENT 

Forth Road Bridge defects could not have been foreseen, committee concludes

Room for growth: overview of the Scottish economy

Brown said the contractor, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC), had advised Transport Scotland that it was unable to achieve a target opening date of December 2016.

However, Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley said the announcement “will be greeted with disappointment in Fife and beyond”.

Rowley, a Fife MSP, said: “As someone who has campaigned for a new crossing for decades I would say, whilst the delay is disappointing, we need to keep it in perspective and make clear this new bridge is good news for Fife, good news for the East of Scotland, indeed good news for the whole of the Scottish economy.

“That is why it is important that minsters do not announce unrealistic deadlines and it is crucial that there is full transparency in this project.”