1

2

Introduction

The Forth Bridge has been closed after a section of it cracked. The result has been transport chaos and millions of pounds lost to the economy.

The SNP Government have defended themselves using three arguments. In the First Minister’s own words:

1. “This crack that has resulted in the bridge being closed was…unforeseen and unforeseeable.”

2. "The maintenance that has been required to be done on the bridge has been done.”

3. Suggestions that repairs have been cancelled due to budget cuts were “absolutely, unequivocally not true.”

All three of these can be proved to be untrue in internal documents from Transport Scotland and the Bridge Authority.

The facts show:

The fault was neither unforeseen nor unforeseeable. The Chief Engineer made clear again and again that the repair was needed.

The maintenance that has been required was not carried out, rather it was cancelled.

And it is absolutely, unequivocally true that they were cancelled because of budget cuts imposed by the SNP Government.

3

1. “This crack that has resulted in the bridge being closed was…unforeseen and unforeseeable.”

In fact the need for repairs to the Truss End was foreseen in a paper presented by the Chief Engineer of the bridge on 20th February 2009.

In 20th February this year, another report warned of the stress on this part of the bridge.

4

Furthermore, in an email from February this year, revealed for the first time in this document, the Chief Engineer imposed new restrictions on traffic due to concerns about stress on the section that has broken.

5

2. "The maintenance that has been required to be done on the bridge has been done.”

In fact a contract for required repairs on the truss end connections were advertised on Public Contracts Scotland and then cancelled.

And the Transport Minister himself said on Radio Scotland that if these works had not been cancelled that the section which has cracked, causing the closure of the bridge, would have been replaced.

Gary Robertson:

“So just to be absolutely clear then, so this work that was planned in 2010, which was subsequently cancelled, would not have seen the replacement of this particular area where the fault has occurred?”

Derek MacKay:

“Well it would have seen the replacement of that area and much more...”

6

3. Suggestions that repairs have been cancelled due to budget cuts were “absolutely, unequivocally not true.”

This claim does not stand any scrutiny. In 2012 an Audit Scotland report made clear that the decision by the SNP Government to cut the repair budget by a staggering 65% had resulted in repairs being deferred.

Minutes of a FETA meeting in February 2014 again confirm capital projects were deferred due to budgetary restraints.

7

In August 2013 the Chief Engineer set out which repairs had to be cancelled because of budget problems and noted the risk this presented.