FORTH: "Iconic" new bridge to be built

The crossing has an estimated cost of between £3.25 billion and £4.22 billion Finance minister John Swinney told MSPs the bridge - which could open in about nine years time - would become an iconic structure.

A new crossing is required because cables on the existing Forth Road Bridge are corroded, and there is a possibility it may have to close to lorries by 2013 and to all traffic by 2019.

Mr Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that action was required to be taken now.

"Doing nothing is not an option," he said.

And he revealed that after considering all the different options - including two different types of tunnels and two different kinds of bridges - the Scottish Government had opted for a cable stayed bridge.

This will have three pylons or towers, with cables running from these supporting the decks of the new bridge.

As well as being the cheapest of the options the government considered, it is also one of the quickest to build, with construction estimated to take some five and a half years.

Mr Swinney said: "The new Forth crossing is a hugely ambitious project.

"It will be the largest construction project in a generation in Scotland. It will be an iconic structure."

The bridge will run from the northern shore, just west of the existing road bridge, to a point west of South Queensferry.

And Mr Swinney said it would maintain a "fundamental link" across the River Forth while providing better connections to the transport network.

He added: "The Forth Rail Bridge created an image of global significance when it was constructed in the 19th century.

"In the 21st century our vision of a new crossing of equal stature and significance is the government's promise today."

As well as having lanes for cars the new crossing will have extra lanes for public transport.

It will also be able to be used by pedestrians and cyclists - who would not be able to use a tunnel for safety reasons - and by vehicles carrying items such as flammable goods, which are banned from using tunnels.

Ministers had also considered building a suspension bridge, similar to the existing Forth Road Bridge.

But this would have cost an estimated £3.62 billion to £4.7 billion and would take six years to build.

Another option that was examined was an immersed tube tunnel - where sections of the tunnel are built in a dry dock before being lowered on to a trench on the riverbed.

This would have cost an estimated £4.77 billion to £6.19 billion and would take some five and a half years to build.

The fourth option, a bored tunnel would have taken the longest to built, with construction time estimated to be seven and a half years.

This was also the most expensive option on the table, with the bill estimated to be between £5.12 billion and £6.6 billion.

Mr Swinney said having considered all the options "the Government has come to the view that the Forth replacement crossing should be a cable stayed bridge".

And the finance secretary said: "A cable stayed bridge has lower overall risk and can be used by all types of traffic, including freight, pedestrians and cyclists, and is considerably cheaper to deliver.

"It also provides for a more affordable dedicated public transport corridor to allow use by buses, light rail or trams."

Labour's Des McNulty said his party was "totally committed" to a replacement Forth crossing and recognised the urgency of proceeding.

"We want to ensure that the option chosen is not just the cheapest or the quickest, but the best," he said.

"We will look carefully at the information provided today, which needs careful scrutiny given the immense sums involved and the importance of the project.

"But on the face of it, I think the government is doing the right thing."

He went on to seek assurances that the problems of corrosion which have affected the present bridge would be "designed out" of its replacement.

He also sought more information on traffic management for lorries between 2013 and the opening of the new bridge, on public transport, and more information on procurement.

Mr Swinney said "enormous" lessons had been learnt from the problems with the present bridge, and the new crossing near the Kincardine Bridge would give a number of options for traffic management.

On public transport there were several options, including guided busways, an extension to the tram system, or other light rail alternatives.

"The government will discuss this issues in the pragmatic fashion that the government always undertakes in decisions on these matters and we will be taking no arbitrary decisions."

For the Tories, Alex Johnstone claimed "procrastination" by the previous Labour-Liberal Democrat administration had delayed progress on the new crossing.

He went on to ask a range of questions, including one on procurement.

Saying the government had already said it would not use public-private partnerships for major projects, Mr Johnstone said: "I and many in this chamber am becoming impatient to see the details of the proposed scheme that will come forward."

Mr Swinney told him information on the "Scottish Futures Trust" was "imminent".

For the Liberal Democrats, Alison McInnes welcomed the announcement.

"The fastest and more reliable construction method must be the right solution in this case," she said.

And following up Mr Johnstone's question on funding, she said: "Can we have an assurance today that if agreement can't be reached with the UK Treasury, that the Government will put aside dogma in the interests of the economy of Scotland and consider other methods of procurement?

"Because we can't afford any delays while there's a wrangle with the Treasury."

Mr Swinney told her that in projects of this nature, governance arrangements were "utterly fundamental".

"The government has gone to elaborate lengths to establish the correct governance structure with clear involvement of ministers, very clear accountability for who is responsible for delivery, and a line of responsibility which is crystal clear," he said.