Published: Wednesday, 21st May, 2008 12:00
Bridge closure will bring traffic chaos to village
By Jamie MacDonald
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The closure of the Kincardine Bridge for refurbishment could see a return to heavy traffic passing through the village.
POTENTIAL problems created by the planned closure of the Kincardine Bridge have been highlighted in the Scottish Parliament.
With the nearby Upper Forth Crossing due to open in November, Kincardine Bridge will shut in late spring 2009 for a major refurbishment.
Traffic – including heavy good vehicles – from Fife that would normally skirt round Kincardine on the bypass may have to head through the town towards Clackmannanshire and the new crossing.
It is expected that other villages such as Crook of Devon, Blairingone and Forest Mill along with villages in west Fife near the A907 would see a large increase in the volume of traffic.
A debate was held in the parliament at Holyrood on Thursday following a motion by John Park, a Labour MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
Mr Park said, “With traffic increasingly being diverted from the Forth Road Bridge to the Kincardine Bridge it is important to highlight the implications for the people of Kincardine and the west Fife villages that occupy the main routes to between the bridges with only the Upper Forth Crossing operational.
“One of the main reasons for constructing the new bridge and improving the surrounding road network was to alleviate the social and environmental impact on Kincardine.”
Some MSPs suggested allowing one lane of the Kincardine Bridge to stay open to alleviate transport problems, but this does not appear to be a likely alternative to full closure. Transport Scotland expect the Kincardine Bridge to be closed for 12 months.
Ochil MSP Keith Brown said he was not convinced about the feasibility of a full closure, and suggested that traffic calming measures might benefit the village.
He told the Parliament, “It is important that the required refurbishment of the Kincardine bridge is carried out.”
Mr Brown also welcomed the prospect of the new Upper Forth Crossing opening soon, but conceded, “There will inevitably be disruption in the meantime as one of them is constructed or substantially refurbished.
“I appreciate that Kincardinehas seen the benefit of the bypass of late, but that it will face a surge of traffic when the existing bridge closes.
“Despite that, I am delighted that the new bridge is being built – and I am hopeful that the minister will take the right decision and call it the Clackmannanshire Bridge.
“We have been asking for that for some time, but we will have to wait and see how the decision goes.
“I am sure that it will go the right way if it is down to the efforts of people in Clackmannanshire who have written in. We will see.”
During the debate Jim Tolson, Lib Dem MSP for Dunfermline West, said, “Kincardine is where the greatest impacts of any Forth Road Bridge problems are focused. Not only now, but for the foreseeable future, Kincardine will carry the bulk of the diverted traffic.”
In response, the Minister for Transport, Stewart Stevenson, said diversion signage would be placed further away from the crossing to ensure drivers were aware of alternative routes.
He added, “There will be some disruption, which we will have to plan for carefully.”
Kincardine resident and councillor for west Fife and coastal villages, Willie Ferguson, is hopeful that proper signage and tweaking the town’s traffic light sequence will minimise any disruption.
He said, “With the Forth Road Bridge affected by the weather we need to pray for good weather during the closure period.
“Around 50 per cent of the traffic that would normally head through Kincardine will be taken away towards Kinross due to the new bridge anyway.”
He added, “Once this period is past, Kincardine will be completely clear and free of traffic and that is the biggest thing.”
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