Hauliers’ Forth Bridge woes continue
Trade associations have expressed dismay over the continued closure of the Forth Road Bridge to HGV traffic over 7.5 tonnes, which is expected to continue until mid-February.
“This will have a massive impact on hauliers who are either based in or making regular journeys to Scotland”, said RHA chief executive Richard Burnett.
“The major distribution centres on the northern, Fife-side of the river are totally reliant on an efficient, swift transport system… The news that they will continue to face delays and a massive increase in cost for another eight weeks will, for many, prove to be unsustainable.”
“When the closure was first announced, we calculated that additional costs for a single HGV resulting from a round trip detour of 60 miles would add an extra £30 in fuel costs alone. With an estimated 10,500 HGVs using the bridge each day, the additional operating costs to the industry will be well in excess of £600,000 per day.
“Based on these figures, this catastrophe has already cost the haulage industry £9.6 million since its closure on 4 December. If hauliers have to wait until the end of February to resume a normal service, we can confidently predict that the cost will be in excess of £40 million.
“Many members have already had no alternative but to ask their customers for a rate increase – to ask for an extension until the end of February will, for many, be the final straw.”
The Department for Transport announced on 11 January that the European Commission had approved a further relaxation of drivers’ hours rules until 15 February, to help operators cope with the 50-mile detour necessary as a result of the closure.
While the Freight Transport Association (FTA) said the move would help, it stressed the importance of the bridge reopening to HGV traffic as soon as possible.
Karen Dee, FTA’s director of policy, said: “The first minister [Nicola Sturgeon] offered reassurance that the bridge would reopen to all vehicles on 4 January so the delay has been a devastating blow for FTA members. The additional costs incurred by the 50-mile diversion are significant, especially when contracts have already been signed and there is no opportunity to recoup the money.
“The extension of the drivers’ hours relaxation will help operators to manage their fleets while the diversion is in place, but the priority must be to get the bridge open to HGVs as soon as possible.”
According to FTA, its members have reported thousands of pounds a day in extra costs due to the additional mileage and staff required.
The association quoted one as saying: “If you consider that in recent days we have run between 20 and 40 vehicles a day, in rough terms it is costing us between two and four thousand pounds per day.”
