The next phase of the project to install an innovative automated barrier system on both sides of the Queensferry Crossing is set to begin on the night of Monday 25 September 2023.
The barriers will allow M90 traffic to be diverted via the Forth Road Bridge more quickly, should the Queensferry Crossing need to be closed for any reason.
With foundations now in place, Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland is ready to install the barriers themselves. This requires work on the verges and central reservation of the M90 on both sides of the Queensferry Crossing, as well as resurfacing works on the hard shoulder of the slip road onto the southbound M90 at Junction 1B Ferrytoll.
All works will take place at night to minimise disruption. During the day there will be two lanes running in each direction at all times. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained.
Resurfacing of the Ferrytoll southbound on-slip hard shoulder will take place on the night of Monday 25 September. Verge barrier installation will commence on the night of Monday 2 October for two weeks, and central reservation barrier installation will commence on the night of Monday 23 October for two weeks. Details of traffic management for these works can be found in the table below.
To allow testing and commissioning of the barriers, the M90 northbound carriageway will be closed between Scotstoun and Ferrytoll from 22:00 until 05:00 on the night of Tuesday 31 October, with northbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge. The southbound carriageway will then be closed between Ferrytoll and Scotstoun from 22:00 until 05:00 on the night of Wednesday 1 November, with southbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge.
A trial deployment of the barriers will be carried out on the night of Saturday 4 November to ensure they are operating correctly. The Queensferry Crossing will be closed in both directions from 23:00 until 05:00 with all M90 traffic diverted via the Forth Road Bridge. Road users should expect delays at the beginning and end of this period as traffic is stopped while the diversion is implemented and removed.
Further works will be undertaken in 2024 to fully automate the system and install ‘intelligent road studs’, which will light up to guide traffic onto the diversion route.
Chris Tracey, BEAR Scotland South East Unit Bridges Manager said: “The new automated barriers are expected to dramatically reduce the time it takes to implement a diversion via the Forth Road Bridge, removing the need for most of the manual work to set up traffic management. This will improve the resilience of the trunk road network and minimise disruption.”
| Location of works | Dates | Work hours | Traffic management |
| M90 Junction 1B Ferrytoll southbound on-slip | 25 September | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users wishing to join the M90 southbound at Ferrytoll will be diverted northbound on the M90 to turn and join the M90 southbound at Admiralty Junction |
| Location of works | Dates | Work hours | Traffic management |
| M90 Junction 1B Ferrytoll southbound on-slip & M90 southbound | 3 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users wishing to join the M90 southbound at Ferrytoll will be diverted northbound on the M90 to turn and join the M90 southbound at Admiralty Junction. Lane 1 on the M90 southbound carriageway will also be closed during this time. |
| M90 northbound next to Junction 1B Ferrytoll | 6 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the M90 northbound will be diverted down the M90 Junction 1B northbound off-slip and across Ferrytoll Junction to rejoin the M90 northbound. |
| M90 northbound next to Junction 1B Ferrytoll | 7, 8, 9 10 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the M90 northbound after the Queensferry Crossing can only travel in lane 2 through the works |
| A90 northbound between Scotstoun and Queensferry Junctions | 9 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the A90 northbound can only travel in lane 3 through the works |
| A90 northbound between Scotstoun and Queensferry Junctions | 10, 11, 12, 13 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the A90 northbound will not be able to travel in lane 1 through the works |
| A90 southbound between Queensferry and Scotstoun Junctions | 11 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the A90 southbound can only travel in lane 3 through the works |
| A90 southbound between Queensferry and Scotstoun Junctions | 12, 13, 14 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users on the A90 southbound will not be able to travel in lane 1 through the works |
| Location of works | Dates | Work hours | Traffic management |
| M90 north of Queensferry Crossing | 23 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users in both directions on the M90 will be diverted down the Junction 1B off-slips and across Ferrytoll Junction to rejoin the main carriageway |
| M90 north of Queensferry Crossing | 24, 25, 26, 27 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users in both directions on the M90 can only use lane 1 |
| A90 between Queensferry and Scotstoun Junctions | 26 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users in both directions on the A90 can only use lane 1 |
| A90 between Queensferry and Scotstoun Junctions | 27, 28, 29, 30 October | 20:00 – 05:00 | Road users in both directions on the A90 cannot travel in lane 3 through the works |
| Location of works | Dates | Work hours | Traffic management |
| M90 northbound between Scotstoun and Ferrytoll | 31 October | 22:00 – 05:00 | A diversion for northbound traffic will be in place via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge |
| M90 southbound between Ferrytoll and Scotstoun | 1 November | 22:00 – 05:00 | A diversion for southbound traffic will be in place via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge |
| Location of works | Dates | Work hours | Traffic management |
| M90 north and south of Queensferry Crossing | 4 November | 23:00 – 05:00 | Road users in both directions will be diverted via the Forth Road Bridge. Traffic will be stopped while diversion is implemented and removed |
Road users using the M90 during these works are encouraged to plan ahead before setting out by checking the Traffic Scotland website www.traffic.gov.scot for up-to-date travel information and allowing extra time for their journey.
BEAR Scotland is leading this project as part of its responsibility for the South East Trunk Road Network on behalf of Transport Scotland. John Paul Construction is responsible for the completing the civils works and SPIE is responsible for the installation of the automated barrier system.
The construction programme got under way in June 2023.
Currently, if the Queensferry Crossing has to be closed, M90 traffic is diverted via Kincardine Bridge on the A985. Trials to manually erect the traffic management required for a diversion via the Forth Road Bridge have taken up to six hours, so Kincardine Bridge must still be used for any shorter-term closures.
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