When Amey were appointed as operators of The Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing in 2015, they became the single company maintaining and managing the crossings of the Forth River. The construction of the new Queensferry Crossing was already underway at that time, however, Amey were able to bring in experience of other crossings, as well as learnings from recent closures on the Forth Road Bridge and put in place a number of systems to increase the capacity of both bridges to adapt to more severe weather conditions. These include signs to inform drivers of high wind speeds, changes to practices and guidance, new materials and innovative designs to the bridge itself.
Amey’s procedures over the years have moved from an approach where the roads must always remain open towards an approach that accepts, and communicates to the public, that travel will not always be possible during severe weather events. The construction of the new Queensferry Crossing has also provided an opportunity to incorporate changes that will allow the bridge to be more resilient to severe weather conditions and a changing climate, and therefore stay open when the Forth Road Bridge would have been closed.
These changes included using the latest and most durable materials, cables that can be replaced with more ease than on the Forth Road Bridge as it can be done as part of normal maintenance works without closing the bridge, a dehumidification system which reduces moisture and prevents corrosion, and thicker road surfacing which has a longer surface life and can be machine laid, making it easier to replace.
The biggest change incorporated into the new bridge was wind shielding which will make the crossing less susceptible to closure during high winds. Experience of other estuarial crossings, such as the Second Severn Crossing, shows that wind barriers provide a high degree of reliability against closure.