Use original Forth crossing plan, business leaders urge

BUSINESS leaders have called on the Scottish Government to ditch its £2 billion Forth crossing proposals and revert to its original, less expensive plans.

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) said the government should look again at the initial plans for a wider bridge with light rail potential and a motorway approach.

The call came as transport engineering specialist John Carson criticised the government and Transport Scotland for their "preposterous" costings, claiming international comparisons had shown the bridge could be built for £1bn, not the £4bn previously claimed.

But a spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said: "The new bridge, together with the dedicated public transport corridor on the existing bridge, will ensure the capacity to deal with the predicted demand for cross-Forth travel.