Transport Scotland’s decision last month to keep its options open on whether to build a bridge or tunnel as a replacement for the Forth Road Bridge has prompted local engineers to mobilise and press the case for a new cable stayed bridge.
The Stay on Forth group has been formed to support a bridge crossing as “the most likely to meet our existing and growing transportation needs in the very limited timeframe available”.
The group wants Transport Scotland to press ahead
with plans for a cable-stayed bridge, following reports by consultants Faber Maunsell and Jacobs recommended that a bridge rather than a tunnel as championed by rival group ForthTAG.
Transport Scotland last week closed its public consultation on a replacement for the bridge and said that a tunnel was still under consideration.
Stay onForth member and civil engineer Alasdair MacKerron told NCE that StayonForth had been “galvanized” into action by “misinformation” from the ForthTAG group.
“We believe that the proposal to build an immersed tube tunnel has been demonstrated to be less beneficial,” said MacKerron.
“However, we are concerned that there is growing support from the public and political parties for the tunnel option, which is based on conjecture, opinion and presentation of partial information by interested parties, presented as fact.”
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