TRAFFIC ON the Tay Road Bridge is flowing freely even at peak times since the end of lane restrictions, bridge manager Iain Mackinnon said yesterday.

The southbound lane was reduced to one lane during a lengthy £1.9 million project to replace bearings on two piers, which caused rush-hour congestion.

Drivers have been able to use both lanes for the past couple of weeks and the effect has been noticeable.

Mr Mackinnon said, “I have been up in the control room at rush hour and the traffic has been free-moving even at times we would normally expect to have queues building up on the ramp.

“On Friday at 4.45pm, which is normally one of the busiest times, the traffic was flowing freely.”

Tolls were removed from the bridge in February and initial indications were there had been a small rise in the number of vehicles crossing, with most of that increase southbound.

That appeared to contradict a Scottish Government study which suggested scrapping the charge would lead to substantially more traffic and peak-time delays in Dundee city centre.

Mr Mackinnon said bridge staff would collect data for the first full year of toll-free operations before coming to any conclusions.