TRANSPORT bosses are considering fast-tracking a speed limit increase on the Queensferry Crossing to deal with congestion.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf faced questions at Holyrood on the traffic jams which have affected both sides of the new £1.35 billion bridge across the Forth since it opened.
Liberal Democrat Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton called for the Forth Road Bridge to be temporarily re-opened to help cope with the extra traffic.
He said: “My constituents should not have to endure another weekend such as the one we have just had, with many waiting hours in traffic and some even losing income.”
Yousaf said there were “difficulties” with re-opening the old road bridge to motorists and said steps were being taken to combat congestion on the new crossing.
He said while it was “typical of initial traffic patterns seen on newly opened major bridges”, steps are being taken to reduce it.
Yousaf said signs had been erected at both ends of the new crossing to encourage drivers to use the full length of the sliproad to merge into traffic in a bid to cut delays.
He added: “Consideration is also being given to raising the speed limit from 40mph to 50mph as soon as the central reserve barrier installation has been completed and it is safe to do so.”
He added: “Reports from the Monday am peak, Monday pm peak and the Tuesday pm peak of this week have shown fewer delays and much reduced delay time as well.”
The 40mph limit on the new bridge and its approaches was expected to be in place for up to six weeks while work takes place to change the Forth Road Bridge into a public transport corridor, after which the new bridge speed limit would increase to 70mph.
The Queensferry Crossing re-opened to vehicles overnight into last Thursday, ahead of the rush hour. It first opened to traffic on August 30 and closed for celebrations from September 1 to 6, with vehicles using the old bridge.
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