Extra rail services and other alternatives planned for those heading into Edinburgh after serious cracks found in steelwork

The Forth Road Bridge is to remain closed to all traffic until early January for emergency repairs, which will cause disruption for commuters, hauliers and holidaymakers.

Transport Scotland announced on Friday that the bridge, one of Scotland’s most important and heavily used road routes, would be shut for the rest of December.

The surprise announcement came after the bridge was shut to all traffic just before midnight on Thursday after serious cracks were discovered in steel parts.

On Friday morning Transport Scotland and police reported 11-mile tailbacks along narrower roads in the area as drivers headed off the A90 dual carriageway for alternative bridges at Kincardine and Clackmannan further up the Forth.

The decision to close the bridge until the new year came at a meeting of the Scottish government’s resilience committee chaired by Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, following advice from bridge engineers and independent experts.

Transport Scotland said urgent work was under way to increase rail services and capacity, create a dedicated bus corridor with extra park and ride facilities and reintroduce passenger ferry services across the Firth of Forth. The road bridge will remain open to emergency vehicles.

Derek Mackay, the Scottish transport minister, said: “The decision to close the Forth Road Bridge is not taken lightly. It is based on the expert opinion of the engineers who operate the bridge day to day and that of independent experts in the field.

“Every effort is being made to open the bridge as quickly as possible but safety is the main priority. However, these works are weather dependent given the height and location of the bridge. We are aware of the potential economic impact for strategic traffic in the east of Scotland and on people living in local communities.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Workers found structural problems with the bridge this week. Photograph: Ken Jack/Demotix/Corbis

“This is an unprecedented challenge in the maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge. On balance following advice from engineers and independent experts, the full closure is essential for the safety of the travelling public and to prevent further damage to the structure of the bridge.”

Mark Arndt, an engineer with the bridge’s maintenance firm Amey, said: “This is a complex engineering challenge. The component failure is in a difficult to access location and our response is also highly dependent on weather conditions.

“We continue to work around the clock on inspections, assessments and calculations along with the development of designs to effect the necessary repairs, while at the same time mobilising all the resources required to reopen the bridge as soon as is possible.”

Transport Scotland said it had considered allowing traffic to continue using the bridge during the repairs, including a temporary ban on HGVs, but that had been ruled out because it increased the risk of causing extensive secondary damage to the structure.

ScotRail has added extra carriages and tried to add extra services from Fife and Tayside. A ScotRail spokesman told BBC Good Morning Scotland it hoped to increase seating by 25%.

The defect has highlighted the bridge’s age: it is now more than 50 years old and has survived longer and with far heavier traffic than originally expected. Ministers are now building a £1.4bn replacement road bridge, the Queensferry Crossing, directly alongside it which is due to open later in 2016.

Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and a Fife MSP, said the government had to publish Transport Scotland’s full contingency plans as soon as possible, including details of extra rail services.

“People living in Edinburgh and Fife now face the prospect of weeks of disruption,” Rennie said. “This is the last thing that we needed to see in the run in to Christmas. Safety must come first, but this extended closure will cause huge inconvenience and impact on families and businesses alike. We need to be reassured that everything is being done to manage the disruption as best possible.”

Andy Willox, Scottish policy convener for the Federation of Small Businesses, said the closure would alarm businesses across the country. They would need clear advice on alternative routes.

“Not only will this closure impact those that use the bridge to bring their goods or services to market, employers of all description will face serious disruption,” he said. “While matters of safety should override other concerns, every effort should be made to minimise the impact on the economy.”

