A NUMBER of lampposts from the Tay Road Bridge are to be tested in the wake of the recent bridge closure which resulted from an accident in high winds.

This has been made clear to Fife councillor Tim Brett, who had written to bridge manager John Crerar after the incident, which left a car driver in a distressed state when a falling lamppost struck her vehicle.

The incident occurred during a storm earlier this month. Traffic had to be diverted via Perth and there was considerable congestion. Other lampposts were inspected and removed after the incident, and it is not yet known whether there will be a need for further work.

Mr Crerar said in a letter to the councillor that the past few months had been particularly busy in terms of the effects of high winds, with high-sided vehicles restricted on 23 days over the period beginning October 26. This, he said, was “unprecedented.”

Mr Crerar said that there were always men at the Fife roundabout during restrictions to redirect drivers who often ignore the warning signs.

On the day of the incident, he said, four men were dispatched to deal with the lamppost incident, and the distraught driver, and three of them plus the two already at Fife walked down the queue of vehicles advising of the situation.

He said there are electronic variable message signs at the Fife bridgehead and at Forgan and Melville Lodges roundabouts.

Although these are generally adequate for most closures, perhaps one of them should be moved to Parbroath, four miles north of Cupar.

In addition any restrictions on the bridge are immediately relayed to all the news media, all emergency services, BEAR Scotland, Traffic Scotland and DCC Roads control.

There are no specific plans and arrangements in place, he said, for notifying the communities of Newport, Wormit and Tayport.

Councillor Brett said that he was pleased with the information he had received.

It would certainly appear that, over the recent period, there had been an unprecedented number of days when the bridge had been closed to high-sided vehicles.

Tayport councillor Maggie Taylor said there had been significant congestion, and consideration had to be given to communication arrangements for the Tayport, Newport and Wormit motorists travelling on the B946.

“Motorists are left in queues a long way back from the approach to the bridge with no way of knowing what is happening.

“Consideration needs to be given to erecting electronic signs in Newport and Tayport to alert drivers that the bridge is closed,” she said.