DRIVERS HEADING north across the Forth Road Bridge this weekend have been warned to expect major delays as work starts on building a new bus lane in Fife.

Traffic will be restricted to a single lane and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which manages the crossing, has urged northbound drivers to steer clear of the bridge.

FETA bosses are predicting “significant” delays.

The work is due to start at 7pm on Friday with traffic restricted to a single-file contraflow until 8am the following morning.

From 8am on Saturday there will be no hold-ups for traffic heading south, but northbound will be single file only. The restriction will end at 6am on Monday.

Then for the next six weeks there will be two narrow lanes in operation northbound.

The project to improve safety at the northbound bus stop at the Fife end is scheduled to be completed in the middle of next month.

FETA said yesterday the bus stop will be closed and a temporary bus stop set up 300 metres away at the Welldean lay-by.

The pedestrian and cycle path on the west side of the bridge will be closed to the public, as will the path from the Queensferry Hotel and the steps under the north end of the bridge.

Pedestrian access to and from the temporary bus stop will be via the path from the south end of the Welldean lay-by down on to the B981 and then the footway on its west side.

FETA convener Tony Martin said, “This improvement is being carried out as part of our scheme to upgrade the road layout at the bridge following the abolition of tolls.

“It’s been made possible with £100,000 funding from SESTRAN, the regional transport partnership.

“Bus drivers and members of the public have often told us that it can be difficult and dangerous for buses to pull out of the existing bus stop into the accelerating traffic at the north end of the bridge.

“This new bus lane will make it much easier and safer for buses to stop and then rejoin the motorway,” he said.

“We’re hopeful that this will encourage more bus services to use the stop.”

Mr Martin added, “With the M9 spur completed last year and the toll plaza remodelling scheme on target for completion in May, the road infrastructure around the bridge will soon be better than it ever has been.

“Having said this, I do appreciate the frustration that the roadworks are likely to cause this weekend.

“I’d encourage drivers to avoid using the bridge northbound if possible and to consider using public transport where available.”