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Original poster

The Forth Road Bridge is totally closed...

228 replies

cashewnutty · 04/12/2015 07:23

...what a nightmare that is going to be.

I live in Fife and DH works in Edinburgh. He gets the train but now they will be mobbed. Not good for businesses as a whole. The Kincardine Bridge will be mobbed and the roads around there are not great.

I hope they fix it soon.

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 04/12/2015 22:35

You waiting on parcels Eigg

Eigg · 04/12/2015 22:38

Haven't even got as far as ordering MrsJay Lovely Mr Amazon is the only way I get any shopping g done and saves my bacon every Christmas!

pictish · 04/12/2015 22:47

They'll send stuff up from Newcastle if needs be.

MrsJayy · 04/12/2015 22:49

Och mr amazon will come the long way round it will be fine

Eigg · 05/12/2015 01:39

Thank you Piictish and MrsJayy I luffs Mr Amazon.

I work full time and he is the only way the DC manage to have the random short notice things that the school ask for dressing up/craft activities/charity collections etc.

Pobspits · 05/12/2015 02:56

It's all a bit of a nightmare really. It doesn't directly affect me but it affects Dh for work and loads of family's near us are struggling with it.

pacific what a nightmare re tree - I could collect it and fling it across to you :)

We need to get over the forth on xmas eve with 2 cars, 2 kids, a dog and about 3 zillion presents. Nightmare do you reckon?

Does anyone think it actually might not reopen in the new year??

Pobspits · 05/12/2015 02:57

*families

ProvisionallyAnxious · 05/12/2015 06:51

I would not be remotely surprised if it didn't open when they say it will. Then again, they may have deliberately over-estimated how long it will take just to pleasantly surprise people (rather than exasperate them with "nope, another week"!).

Ouch, Pobspits. Confused No advice, but good luck! [santa]

curriegirl · 05/12/2015 08:01

DH has had a terrible week. We live in Fife. He needs to get to the gyle and then pick up his work van and get back to Fife. At the end of the day he needs to get back to the gyle before coming home.

He always leaves early so left at 5.50 am yesterday. Was in the gyle in just under an hour. He went to the gym last night and left at 8.25. Took an hour to get home.

You need to give the rail network time to reposition carriages. I think there will be a big improvement on Monday.

Original poster
cashewnutty · 05/12/2015 09:02

Currygirl. I think this must be all relative depending on where you live in Fife. I read your post and thought that that seemed like excellent time to get to the the Gyle or get back. But then again I live in St Andrews and it takes me about an hour to reach the bridge even when it is quiet. I am guessing you live in west fife?

For me to get to Edinburgh even on quiet roads is going to take around 2 hours. Thankfully I have only got two reasons to be in Edinburgh in he next three weeks and for one of those trips we will go by train.

OP posts:
curriegirl · 05/12/2015 09:34

The flip side is my boss has thrown a complete hissy fit. He comes from Edinburgh to Fife where we work. Honestly, the way he is ranting and raving you'd think he is the only commuter this affects.

IWasHereBeforeTheHack · 05/12/2015 14:47

Panic not! Amazon have another depot in Greenock.

HirplesWithHaggis · 05/12/2015 17:42

news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Forth-Road-Bridge-closure-2012.aspx

Latest update. Extra trains and buses...

Pacific · 05/12/2015 19:18

Is anyone old enough to remember the car ferry? I think it was called the 'William Wallace'. I used to be soooooo excited and wee bit terrified as a wee girl when my dad drove onto the ferry in our A35 in North Queensferry then off again at South Queensferry, there was always a bump and I used to terrify myself that we would fall off the ramp in to the sea!

Pacific · 05/12/2015 19:28

I'm reminiscing now. We also drove over the bridge on the first day it opened in 1964 and I howled the whole way because you could see the water between the girders...I thought it hadn't been completely built! To be fair, I was only 3 years old. I'm still nervous when looking at the water hundreds of feet below.

And has anyone been stationary on a traffic jam on the bridge? It moves...a lot!! Argggg! terrifying!

And did you know that there are 108 expansion joints? These are the bumps that make your car go 'fu-doof...fu-doof...fu-doof.

FannyFifer · 05/12/2015 19:45

I've been under it on a boat, totally terrifying as you can see through all the gaps.

Pacific · 05/12/2015 19:57

Fanny, I have done the boat trip too. The bridge looks HUGE from underneath and you can see it bouncing and swaying with the traffic.

dementedma · 05/12/2015 21:08

I hate driving over it and being stationary on it in traffic is terrifying as it shakes and sways! No way on earth would I walk over it!

cdtaylornats · 05/12/2015 21:50

Extra buses will surely just increase the congestion. As an added bonus Stirling council are planning to refurbish Stirling town centre.

ProvisionallyAnxious · 05/12/2015 22:29

FannyFifer

You're not a coastal rower, are you? (I've rowed under the bridge - awesome feeling. Verra noisy...).

FannyFifer · 06/12/2015 00:42

Prov, no not a coastal rower ( though I did once get rescued by coast guard as a teen from the forth).

Was on the boat tour that goes to the wee Island

Iggi999 · 06/12/2015 10:05

Still waiting for the special travel site that is supposed to be available from today - if anyone spots it, can you link to it, please?

curriegirl · 06/12/2015 10:56

Willie Rennie is sorting the website I believe.

Piffpaffpoff · 06/12/2015 13:25

It appears that they are shutting the Cairneyhill to Kincardine road and making it buses and lorries only. They're going to run lots more extra buses from Halbeath and Ferrytoll, and lots of trains from InverK. I look forward to seeing how that's going to work...where, for example, are all these extra passengers going to park? It's a nightmare!

HirplesWithHaggis · 06/12/2015 13:27

Oh well, if Willie Rennie's on it , we can all rest easy... Grin

Some more info here... trafficscotland.org:80/news/story.aspx?id=13232