- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ruled out charging tolls on the new Forth road crossing once it has been completed.
Answer
Further work on fundingoptions for the crossing will take place over the summer to allow a decision tobe made in autumn 2007.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys were made by HGVs across the Forth Road Bridge in each of the last three years.
Answer
This information is a matterfor the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) and can be accessed on FETA’swebsite at:
www.feta.gov.uk.
FETA records information fortraffic and revenue purposes on vehicles that cross the bridge, with a singlecategory for all vehicles in excess of 3.5 tonnes. The figures within thiscategory for each of the last three calendar years (northbound only) are shown inthe following table.
| Year | Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes |
| 2004 | 703,824 |
| 2005 | 728,810 |
| 2006 | 716,699 |
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimates are of the financial costs per year to (a) Fife, (b) the Lothians and (c) Scotland of closing the Forth Road Bridge to HGVs before a new crossing is complete.
Answer
The estimated cost to the Scottish economy of a ban on HGVs crossing the Forth Road Bridge before a new crossing is completed is estimated to be in the order of £20 million a year at current prices. This represents the cost to Scotland as a whole and comprises the increase in journey time and costs associated with HGV traffic diverting. Although the effects will be distributed across the whole of the Scottish economy, they will impact more acutely in the areas around the current bridgeheads. It is not possible to be more specific at this time.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult the people, communities, businesses and voluntary organisations of Fife on the new Forth road crossing other than through the public information exhibitions announced by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Official Report c.1132).
Answer
The public information eventswill present the facts which underpin the published study reports. Statutoryconsultation will be undertaken as part of the authorisation for the crossing.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to include a rail crossing, or other public transport provision, with the new Forth road crossing.
Answer
Provision for enhancedpublic transport will be incorporated into the replacement crossing in order tomanage predicted increase in demand for cross Forth travel. However, thecrossing will not include heavy rail since sufficient capacity exists on theexisting Forth Bridge to cater for predicted future demand for railtravel.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive where and when the public information exhibitions on the new Forth road crossing announced by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Official Report c. 1132) will take place.
Answer
Transport Scotland iscurrently planning a programme of events for the end of August. The details andlocations will be confirmed as soon as possible with advertisements appearingthe local press.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult the people, communities, businesses and voluntary organisations of Fife regarding (a) the location of the new Forth road crossing, (b) whether the new crossing takes the form of a tunnel or bridge, (c) the timetable for starting and completing the construction of the new crossing, (d) the lifespan of the new crossing and (e) whether the new crossing will include provision for rail and other public transport provision.
Answer
Transport Scotlandwill hold public information events over the summer to present the finding of the Forth Replacement Crossing Study reports. This will involve hearing theviews of people who may be affected by any of the crossing options and willinclude discussion on the issues raised in this question where necessary.
