This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New transport body for Forth Road Bridge
17/01/2002
A new body, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority
(FETA), has been created to oversee operation, management
and maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge in a bid to combat
congestion.
Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald
today published consultation findings on the creation of
the new body and laid before Parliament a draft Order that
will establish the Authority.
FETA will have a wider scope of responsibility than the
current Board. By identifying road and public transport
improvements, it will address congestion as a result of
cross-Forth traffic growth.
Mr Macdonald said:
"The creation of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority
marks a significant step forward in our efforts to tackle
congestion on the Forth Road Bridge and to improve travel
across the Forth.
"While maintenance of the bridge will remain a top
priority, the Authority will also be able to use revenues
to fund public transport alternatives, road works, traffic
management measures and other schemes it feels will bring
real benefits to bridge users.
"I am also pleased to publish the responses to our
consultation on the Order. We have listened to what people
have had to say and made a number of changes that reflect
the consensus view. I've been greatly heartened by the
positive reaction to the establishment of the
Authority."
The bridge currently carries more than its notional
capacity of 60,000 vehicles per day on more than half the
days of the year. It is forecast that daily vehicle flows
will increase by a further 3.5 per cent per annum.
The Order, which comes into effect on 1 April 2002,
involves the dissolution of the body currently responsible
for the administration of the Forth Road Bridge, the Forth
Road Bridge Joint Board, and the creation of a new
body.
FETA will be a statutory body comprising councillors
from City of Edinburgh (4), Fife (4), West Lothian (1) and
Perth and Kinross (1) Councils.
Over a consultation period running from 7 September 2001
to 30 November 2001, the Executive invited responses to the
establishment of the Authority from a wide range of
interested parties.