Haven't we been here before?
A TOP engineer claims the Scottish Government's vision hasn't moved on in nearly 80 years It follows the unearthing of plans drawn up for a Forth crossing, dating back to 1934, to be built at the same spot as the proposed new crossing ... and looking remarkably similar!
John Carson, an authority on suspension bridges, also accused the government of ''political myopia'' for opting to build another suspension bridge without including a facility for heavy rail.
Mr Carson claims that decision will condemn commuters in Fife to a lifetime of congestion and hit Scottish taxpayers in the pocket for years into the future.
A top civil engineer, who lives in South Queensferry, he worked on the Skye and Severn Bridges as well as on many overseas projects.
He said: "The commuter figures simple do not add up. There is no adequate provision for public transport in the plans. Our government is failing in its commitment to carbon reduction by condemning those north of the Forth to using their cars."
Mr Carson, who led the ForthTAG campaign for a submerged tube tunnel under the Forth, claims unless there is provision for heavy rail on the new bridge, there will continue to be congestion on the Fife side for years to come.
The submerged tube tunnel option allowed for both vehicles and heavy rail capacity whereas the new crossing will be multi-modal ... but only for cars and trams.
Mr Carson said: "There are 37,500 vehicle movements each day in one direction with upwards of 50,000 commuters in these vehicles. Most cross in the rush hour in the morning in private cars.
"Transport Scotland argues that it can radically increase the capacity of the existing rail link from Fife. But when their thinking was checked with Network Rail they were not so confident.
"What is possible is what was proposed by SESTRAN (South East of Scotland Transport Partnership).
"This outlined improvements over the next 20 years including lengthening existing trains from three to six carriages, increasing the length of platforms and introducing two more trains during the morning rush hour. These measures would increase the current capacity by 8000 passengers in the morning rush hour.
He added: "By the time the new bridge is open in 2016 the traffic will have increased by 20 per cent and by the time all of the rail improvements are made in 2026 the traffic will have increased by 55 per cent."
Mr Carson recently assisted a history group in North Queensferry with the history of crossings of the Forth.
They unearthed a drawing owned by the Earl of Kincardine and Elgin which dated back to 1934.
The location is identical to that of the bridge proposed by Transport Scotland, the spans are similar, it has four lanes, two lanes north and two south and two footpaths.
Mr Carson said: "Does the inclusion of a strip up the centre of our new Forth bridge for trams constitute the sum total of our ability to look to the future from an obviously futuristic insight of 75 years ago!"
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Weather for Queensferry
Sunday 05 February 2012
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