Queensferry Crossing closure halts driver carrying holiday home

BBC Lorry carrying houseBBC
Mr Brooks is waiting in South Queensferry for the bridge to open.

A lorry driver transporting a holiday home to a Fife caravan site is stuck on one side of the Queensferry Crossing, following its closure.

Stephen Brooks is taking the pre-fabricated building to Pettycur Bay Holiday Park in Kinghorn.

But his journey was halted by the shutdown of the bridge across the Firth of Forth on safety grounds.

He is waiting for it to reopen as his abnormal load means he is unable to deviate from a pre-agreed route.

The crossing connecting Edinburgh and Fife was shut on Monday night after ice and snow fell from cables on to the carriageway.

It is the first time the £1.35bn bridge, which opened in 2017, has been closed.

Bridge operator Amey said it could remain closed until at least Wednesday.

Stephen Brooks
Stephen Brooks said he felt frustrated

Mr Brooks, of TH Crawforth transport, is waiting on the South Queensferry side of the bridge.

He told BBC Scotland: "I have to wait for the bridge to open or for the police to change the route, which the police aren't going to change just like that as its normally 48 hours they need to change the route.

"It is frustrating because I can see the site I'm going to, it's just on the other side of the bridge.

"As the crow flies it's about two miles away but unfortunately I have to sit and wait.

"That's the joys of abnormal loads."

Other drivers have been taking a 35-mile diversion via the A985, the Kincardine Bridge and the M9, adding about 90 minutes to journeys.

ScotRail said it was running extra trains services across the Forth Bridge and there are additional buses over the Forth Road Bridge.