By Lars Niven

PLANS TO upgrade the notorious A8000 bottleneck near the Forth Road Bridge will have to be put on hold unless the Scottish Executive helps pay for the project.

Preparatory work on consolidating old mine workings along the route of a proposed £35 million dual carriageway link was due to have got under way last month.

However, the work has been delayed as costs continue to rise, with the bill for consolidating the ground alone having soared by £2.3 million.

Officials from the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which manages the Forth Road Bridge, have met the Executive to discuss the issue, but are still waiting for a decision.

The plan is to replace the existing single carriageway road, which causes major tailbacks on the bridge during the morning rush hour, with a dual carriageway.

It would provide a link between the bridge and the M9, Edinburgh Airport and the Edinburgh City bypass.

But with the cost of carrying out improvements and repairs to the ageing bridge, FETA cannot afford to pay for the work itself.

Deputy bridge master Barry Colford admitted yesterday the project would almost certainly have to be delayed if funding was not forthcoming.

“I can’t see any other option,” he said.

“The project for the consolidation of the mine workings hinges on the increase in the toll (from 80 pence to £1).

“The main works themselves depend on further funding being made available from the Scottish Executive, or some other party.

“We have met with the Executive, but we are still waiting for a decision.

“The authority cannot fund its capital programme and the A8000 works on even a £1 toll.”

Earlier this year a public inquiry was held into FETA’s plan to increase the bridge toll to £1.

“We are still waiting for a decision on that,” Mr Colford added. “The work is complex, there is no doubt about that.

“We are now waiting for a decision from the Executive on funding both to get the main project off the ground and to get the mining consolidation works going as well.”

No date has yet been given for a decision either on the proposed increase in tolls, or the funding package.