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14th February
2008
No more rummaging for a £1 coin!
FIFE
commuters have been enjoying the first few days of toll free bridge
crossings on both the Forth & Tay Bridges.
Tolls
were scrapped from midnight on Sunday allowing drivers to enter the
Kingdom without having to pay.
And
although channeling the Forth Bridge traffic through two lanes
while the booths are removed has seen some minor congestion, mainly
from traffic at the Echline roundabout, Councillor Tony Martin,
convener of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) is sure
the problems will be short-lived.
He
said: “This is the beginning of an exciting new era for the Forth
Road Bridge and we are determined to make a success of it.
“Thirty-three
of our employees will now be moving on to new opportunities and we
wish them well.
“Those
of us who remain are very positive about the future and looking
forward to getting on with the job of maintaining the bridge.
“I’d
like to thank drivers for their patience during the recent work to
remove the tollbooths. It
may take a few days for everyone to get used to the new road
layout, and there could still be queues on the A904 in the short
term.
“However,
we’re confident that traffic flows will improve significantly when
the full scheme is complete.”
Just
before the historic changeover, traffic was briefly held back while
bridge staff moved cones to divert traffic away from the tollbooths
and onto a new unrestricted two-lane carriageway leading straight
through the toll plaza onto the bridge.
The
first motorist to cross without paying a charge was presented with
a bottle of champagne by Councillor Martin.
And
on Monday afternoon from 4pm Fife’s SNP councilors and party
members welcomed home the very first “toll free” commuters coming
back to Fife with a bridge walk and champagne.
Alan
Russell, chief executive of Fife Chamber said: “We are delighted that the
Scottish Government made this decision and has acted so promptly to
enact it.
“This
can only have a positive effect for business and the Fife economy.
“These
crossings are vital arteries for the Scottish economy and removal
of the tolls, along with the confirmation of the new Forth Crossing
will boost business confidence, enhance growth and help secure
future investment in the Scottish economy.”
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