Infrastructure secretary lists Scottish firms benefiting from latest Forth Replacement Crossing work
Infrastructure Secretary Alex Neil insists Scottish firms are benefiting from the construction of the new Forth Replacement Crossing.
A computer generated image of the Forth Replacement Crossing (left) beside the road and rail bridges.
- By Graham Huband, business editor
- Published in the Courier : 17.02.12
- Published online : 17.02.12 @ 07.54am
Transport Scotland's principal contractor for the project Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FBC) announced a series of new orders for materials and equipment required to support concrete production for the £1.4bn span and associated roadworks.
Fife's Skene Group will supply ready-mixed pre-batched concrete for works on the north side of the Forth while Tarmac, which has facilities at South Gyle and Livingston, will provide the same services for works on the south side of the river.
Tarmac has also been awarded a further contract to supply aggregate from Revelrig Quarry in West Lothian and a site in Lanarkshire for concrete to be used in the building of the main bridge.
A further agreement has been reached with Leicestershire's Aggregate Industries to provide cement and admixture materials. The firm is to recruit a full-time manager at its Glasgow depot to support the contract.
Supply contracts for the new bridge are extremely sensitive and provoked a political row at Holyrood last month after it was announced 37,000 tonnes of steel required for the project was all to be imported to Scotland.
In the case of the concrete contracts, Scotland's only cement supplier Lafarge — a French owned firm with a manufacturing venue in East Lothian — was unsuccessful in its pitch for FRC work.
Despite Lafarge's failure, Mr Neil insisted the FRC project was having a positive bearing on Scottish business.
He said: ''It will support 1,200 Scottish jobs and secure an additional 3,000 more. Construction will deliver an annual average of 45 vocational training positions, 21 professional body training places and 46 positions for the long term unemployed, as well as providing further scope to maximise Modern Apprenticeship opportunities.''
However Transport Scotland pointed out that EU legislation forbade an organisation from discriminating in favour of a particular contractor on the grounds of their geographic location.
12.37pm - 17.02.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
"EU legislation forbade an organisation from discriminating in favour of a particular contractor on the grounds of their geographic location". Which only highlights the dishonest, opportunistic criticism of the Scot govt emanating from the Labour Party and their supporters. Nothing new there.
07.18pm - 18.02.2012 Wully - Dundee, Scotland Report This
First, companies were blamed for not putting in bids. Now we're told that EU legislation works against them. Why then did the SNp point to Scots companies doing so well out of the new bridge if it was always goingto work against them?
05.53pm - 19.02.2012 Charles Litster - Fife, Scotland Report This
Why is there not help and support provided to companies large and small by the government? Interestingly the legislation for procurement does have exceptions regarding geographical preference. The French and other European states apply but the UK seems to be quite happy to ignore.
02.23pm - 20.02.2012 L - Fife, Fife Report This
Aye but it doesn't stop them looking after their friends and their companies though does it!
03.06pm - 20.02.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Wully, the bulk of subcontracting is always going to go locally as foreign firms will not be less able to compete due to distance. Steel is a different matter, though I would have thought Tata could have been more competitive. Still, any excuse to have a go at the Scot govt eh ;)
09.14pm - 21.02.2012 Wully - Dundee, Scotland Report This
I have to say that I'm surprised at your complacent and dismissive attitude towards Scottish companies. But at least you can sY you have given full support to an Executive that ignores Scots companies and which miraculously swiped £700m off the bridge almost overnight.
01.08pm - 22.02.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Wully, what dismissive attitude? Btw, the "not" in my last post is a typo. It shouldn't be there. The fact is the vast majority of contracts and funding on this build are going to Scottish companies. That is undeniable ... unless you have an agenda that involves deliberate misinformation.
11.08am - 23.02.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
In what way have I been "dismissive" of Scots companies? I stated they will/are getting the bulk of the contracts. The anti-SNP lobby are being wholly disingenuous here. In the past, it has counted against them in the eyes of the electorate. I doubt it will be any different here :)
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