Written Question · S3W-07136 · Session 3
On how many occasions the Erskine Bridge has been closed to traffic in each year since tolls were removed; whether there has been any incre…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Erskine Bridge has been closed to traffic in each year since tolls were removed; whether there has been any increase in the number or duration of closures in that period compared with each of the previous five years, and what explanation there may be for any change in the pattern of closures.
The answer
The number of occasionswhen the Erskine Bridge has been closed to all types of traffic since 1 April 2001 because of severe weather conditions is set out in thefollowing table:
Year
| No. of Closures
| Dates and Times of Closures
2001
| 0
|
2002
| 1
| 28 January– no times available
2003
| 1
| 28 January- 06.00 to 09.55
2004
| 0
|
-
2005
| 2
| 11 January 19.45 to 12 January 20.00
11 November 15.20 to 12 November 07.00
2006
| 3
| 1 April – tolls removed
26 October 14.30 to 17.30
3 December 19.00 to 4 December 14.30
31 December 20.00 to 1 January 06.00
2007
| 4
| 3 January 23.00 to 4 January 14.00
10 January 23.00 to 12 January 01.30
13 January 15.30 to 14 January 03.00
8 November 07.50 to 9 November 03.00
Amey InfrastructureServices took over full inspection, management and maintenance responsibility forthe bridge, as part of the trunk road network, when tolls were abolished on 1 April2006. Decisions to close the bridge, solely for the safety of users, are taken inaccordance with the severe weather procedures laid down in the Bridge OperationsManual. Amey receive Met Office five-day and 24-hour weather forecasts, specificto the Erskine area. When severe conditions are forecast these are supplementedby immediate “Storm” or “Gale” warnings to which Amey have the facility to seek“real time” updates. An anemometer located on the bridge deck transmits continuouswind-speed data to Amey’s Operational Control Room. Amey’s engineering and meteorologicalassessments are then subject to liaison with Strathclyde Police. The outcome maybe a formal decision to close the bridge, wholly or in part, under the authorityof the Chief Constable. Agreed wind-speed thresholds are 45mph for crosswinds and60mph for head/tail winds.
The traffic managementfor the closure process takes nearly two hours to implement fully and about onehour to remove, with priority given to the immediate approaches then the M8/M898on the south side of the river. The police, Traffic Scotland and media are advised when a closure is imminent and when it is expectedto be lifted and are regularly updated where an incident may be protracted.
The criteria for weather-relatedclosures have not changed since tolls were removed but new and more accurate windmeasuring and data recording equipment became operational from early October 2006.Prior to then, there was no data record of actual wind speeds on the bridge andreadings were noted manually from dial gauges showing speed and direction, locatedin the bridge administration offices. For this reason, no comparison can be madebetween closures, pre and post abolition of tolls. However, each closure can bedirectly related to independently documented (Met. Office) records.
In order to minimisethe disruption caused by closures of the bridge, strategic signs on approach routesare being installed. These will include warnings specific to high-sided vehicleswhich will allow the phased closure to certain classes of vehicles when appropriate.
Year
| No. of Closures
| Dates and Times of Closures
2001
| 0
|
2002
| 1
| 28 January– no times available
2003
| 1
| 28 January- 06.00 to 09.55
2004
| 0
|
-
2005
| 2
| 11 January 19.45 to 12 January 20.00
11 November 15.20 to 12 November 07.00
2006
| 3
| 1 April – tolls removed
26 October 14.30 to 17.30
3 December 19.00 to 4 December 14.30
31 December 20.00 to 1 January 06.00
2007
| 4
| 3 January 23.00 to 4 January 14.00
10 January 23.00 to 12 January 01.30
13 January 15.30 to 14 January 03.00
8 November 07.50 to 9 November 03.00
Amey InfrastructureServices took over full inspection, management and maintenance responsibility forthe bridge, as part of the trunk road network, when tolls were abolished on 1 April2006. Decisions to close the bridge, solely for the safety of users, are taken inaccordance with the severe weather procedures laid down in the Bridge OperationsManual. Amey receive Met Office five-day and 24-hour weather forecasts, specificto the Erskine area. When severe conditions are forecast these are supplementedby immediate “Storm” or “Gale” warnings to which Amey have the facility to seek“real time” updates. An anemometer located on the bridge deck transmits continuouswind-speed data to Amey’s Operational Control Room. Amey’s engineering and meteorologicalassessments are then subject to liaison with Strathclyde Police. The outcome maybe a formal decision to close the bridge, wholly or in part, under the authorityof the Chief Constable. Agreed wind-speed thresholds are 45mph for crosswinds and60mph for head/tail winds.
The traffic managementfor the closure process takes nearly two hours to implement fully and about onehour to remove, with priority given to the immediate approaches then the M8/M898on the south side of the river. The police, Traffic Scotland and media are advised when a closure is imminent and when it is expectedto be lifted and are regularly updated where an incident may be protracted.
The criteria for weather-relatedclosures have not changed since tolls were removed but new and more accurate windmeasuring and data recording equipment became operational from early October 2006.Prior to then, there was no data record of actual wind speeds on the bridge andreadings were noted manually from dial gauges showing speed and direction, locatedin the bridge administration offices. For this reason, no comparison can be madebetween closures, pre and post abolition of tolls. However, each closure can bedirectly related to independently documented (Met. Office) records.
In order to minimisethe disruption caused by closures of the bridge, strategic signs on approach routesare being installed. These will include warnings specific to high-sided vehicleswhich will allow the phased closure to certain classes of vehicles when appropriate.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-07136 by reference.