Scottish Parliament passes Forth Road Bridge Bill

05/06/2013

Forth BridgeCompanies can now tender bids to become the new operator of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) and the Forth Replacement Crossing, as well as maintaining the connecting trunk roads and equipment. This follows the Scottish Parliament voting unanimously to pass the Forth Road Bridge Bill.

Commenting after the debate on the Bill, Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker said:

“The Scottish Government believes that a single company managing and maintaining the FRB and Forth Crossing will provide a cost effective and coordinated approach. Staff from the existing operator, FETA, will transfer to the new operator, bringing expertise and continuity. Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with , , ,

New Forth Crossing Bang on Target

07/02/2013

FRC“Excellent progress” is being made on the Forth Replacement Crossing, according to Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker on a recent visit to the newly built Contact and Education Centre adjacent to the Forth Road Bridge.

Mr Walker said: “All the signs are that the Forth Replacement Crossing construction is fully on target for completion in 2016. Some parts of the work are already complete ahead of schedule, such at the new roundabout now opened on the M9 motorway and, here in Fife, the ITM traffic flow system and improved bus lane heading south on the M90.

“From the Fife coast, you can easily see the construction work progressing on the mid-Forth Beamer Rock, on which the central tower of the new bridge will sit.  Even the Contact and Education Centre, which will later be converted into a Visitor Centre, was finished ahead of schedule. Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with ,

S4W-12779: Forth Replacement Crossing Contact and Education Centre Visitors

01/02/2013

Bill Walker: To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of annual visitor numbers at the Contact and Education Centre at the Forth Replacement Crossing once the centre is fully open to the public.

Date Lodged: 31/01/13

Answered by Mr Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, (13/02/13): The primary purpose of the Contact and Education is to provide an information point for those affected by the works. No estimate has been made of annual visitor numbers and the booking system ensures that the numbers within the building can be managed.

Filed under Questions Tagged with ,

S4W-12778: Forth Replacement Crossing Contact and Education Centre

01/02/2013

Bill Walker: To ask the Scottish Government when the Contact and Education Centre for the Forth Replacement Crossing will be fully open to the public.

Date Lodged: 31/01/13

Answered by Mr Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, (13/02/13): The Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) Contact and Education Centre provides a permanent location for those affected by the FRC works to speak to a member of the project team face to face. This facility opened to the public on 7 January 2013. Booking requests to visit the project exhibition can be made through the project website www.forthreplacementcrossing.info.

Filed under Questions Tagged with ,

S4W-12777: Forth Replacement Crossing

01/02/2013

Bill Walker: To ask the Scottish Government whether the Forth Replacement Crossing remains on target for completion by 2016.

Date Lodged: 31/01/13

Answered by Mr Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, (13/02/13): Yes, the Forth Replacement Crossing remains on target for completion in 2016.

Filed under Questions Tagged with

Fifers’ Chance to Vote on Name for New Forth Crossing

07/03/2012

Transport Minister Keith Brown has announced that the public will vote for the name of the new Forth crossing. Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with

Lamont’s Bridge Stoppage Call Challenged by SNP MSPs

14/02/2012

Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has joined his Edinburgh Western SNP colleague, Colin Keir, in calling on Johann Lamont to set out the cost in jobs and money of her demand to stop the construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC). Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with

Dunfermline MSP Warns Against Labour’s Forth Crossing Negativity

13/02/2012

Labour is doing companies in Fife and Scotland a disservice by ignoring the benefits of the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC), says Dunfermline SNP MSP Bill Walker, after a further 88 subcontracts were advertised. Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with

MSP for Dunfermline Sets Record Straight on Forth Replacement Crossing Contracts

09/02/2012

Bill Walker, MSP for Dunfermline, has spoken out about confusion over the Scottish Government’s role in awarding contracts for the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC). Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with

Forth Replacement Crossing

12/01/2012

Over the holidays, a report by Audit Scotland suggested tolls might need to be reintroduced on the Forth Road Bridge.

I can confirm that the SNP Government has no plans, intentions or ‘blue sky’ thinking about reintroducing the tolls it famously scrapped in 2008.  This is as much the case for the Forth Replacement Crossing as for the existing Bridge. Read more of this post

Filed under Dunfermline Press Column Tagged with

Progress on Forth Replacement Crossing

09/12/2011

Bill has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement on Monday of its continued commitment to the Forth Replacement Crossing. Read more of this post

Filed under News Tagged with