Following the announcement that the Forth Road Bridge will be closed until the New Year, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is asking its members to report delays and problems with drivers’ hours.
The Scottish Government has asked the Freight Transport Association to gather information from members so it can monitor the disruption caused and decide whether to apply to the Department for Transport (DfT) for a variation in drivers’ hours regulations.
The 51-year-old bridge was closed to all traffic from midnight after specialists engineers assessed a crack in the steelwork and said it wasn’t safe. The closure caused 11-mile queues at the Kincardine Bridge this morning – the nearest alternative crossing – and six-mile tailbacks at the Clackmannanshire Bridge.
Chris MacRae, FTA’s Head of policy for Scotland, said: “This has come at the busiest time of year for freight operators and will cause serious issues in terms of delivery times and drivers’ hours over the Christmas period.”