Forth Road Bridge

[Virtual DBP]

Does anyone know if the east (?) side of the FRB is back open again, or is it still closed to pedestrians/cyclists?

cheers,

cam

 

[HLaB]

Does anyone know if the east (?) side of the FRB is back open again, or is it still closed to pedestrians/cyclists?

cheers,

cam

It was definitely closed last week, I cant remember if it still is I drove over it today. It listed as still being shut on the FETA website (and here), maybe should contact them.

Edit I'm confused to why hey say cyclist have dismount across the A90 at the southern end, I just use the service road that goes under that end of the bridge, its a bit of a pain having to detour slightly but there's no dismount involved

 

[HJ]

I find this bit rather worrying: "Footpath/Cycleway Restrictions:NB CHANGE

Under normal operating conditions EAST footpath/cycleway access is restricted to Forth Road Bridge personnel and contractors only. Pedestrians and cyclists should use the WEST footpath/cycleway for access/egress. (The national cycle route runs to and from the east cycleway). These restrictions may be subject to change due to operational requirements."

Looks like we are going to loose long term access to the east side....

 

[Ranger]

Shut this morning. The closure of the west side lasted for at least 2 years so I imagine the east closure will be the same

 

[MrGrumpy]

will be closed till next year, all to do with painting of north tower, etc. Its a pain, but getting used to it now.

 

[HLaB]

Yip it was still closed but I'm still mystified to why feta think folk have to dismount at the southern end and cross the A90 I use and I assume everybody does, the service road that goes under the bridge. Coming from the north is a bit of a pain coming from Inverkiething if its busy because of the bus lane, you need to navigate across the dominant traffic flow to the centre of the roundabout. A bit like this but its better to make the move earlier if you can.

 

[JoysOfSight]

Yip it was still closed but I'm still mystified to why feta think folk have to dismount at the southern end and cross the A90 I use and I assume everybody does, the service road that goes under the bridge. Coming from the north is a bit of a pain coming from Inverkiething if its busy because of the bus lane, you need to navigate across the dominant traffic flow to the centre of the roundabout. A bit like this but its better to make the move earlier if you can.

On the south side of the bridge, the path leading to the west side is actually wider than the one on the east side, and less used by pedestrians.

Unfortunately it doesn't have a little cyclist sign, but in every other respect you may find that it's easier just to ride up to the roundabout on the path, than fanny about going down to sea level on the access road.

Of course this is morally heinous (if the little sign is not present, you're evil), so I could never admit to doing so myself.

 

[Ranger]

On the south side of the bridge, the path leading to the west side is actually wider than the one on the east side, and less used by pedestrians.

Unfortunately it doesn't have a little cyclist sign, but in every other respect you may find that it's easier just to ride up to the roundabout on the path, than fanny about going down to sea level on the access road.

Of course this is morally heinous (if the little sign is not present, you're evil), so I could never admit to doing so myself.

Not that I would ever do this myself, but it is easier. The fun part when you are going north is to come down the bus lane from the roundabout and then see how fast you can go between the bollards without hitting them, strangely it is a bus and cycle lane at the top but only a bus lane at the bottom

 

[HLaB]

Not that I would ever do this myself, but it is easier. The fun part when you are going north is to come down the bus lane from the roundabout and then see how fast you can go between the bollards without hitting them, strangely it is a bus and cycle lane at the top but only a bus lane at the bottom

I'll have to try that tomorrow; I don't fancy the path but I like the sound of the Bus Lane. It sounds like almost a similar length of detour plus stopping a couple of times at the signalised Rab but the bus lane sounds fun going northbound. At the moment I'm coming along the B800 turning right before the pfs and coming onto the bridge there; as you know you currently have to go underneath the bridge on the service road but there's stopping and it can be fun. Its really fun when you get a constant run on the B800 from the A90 over the Tesco roundabout before any body can overtake and its real easy to slip into the right turn pocket thanks to the central reservation. It might be a wee bit hard to hold the primary all the way from there up the hill to the signalised rab.

Its bit like as in this old vid before the closure of the east path.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Not that I would ever do this myself, but it is easier. The fun part when you are going north is to come down the bus lane from the roundabout and then see how fast you can go between the bollards without hitting them, strangely it is a bus and cycle lane at the top but only a bus lane at the bottom

lol thats what I do sometimes, from south, I come from the Kirkliston road, past Tesco`s, take a right at Shell garage and jump onto cyclepath ( assumed its a cyclepath ). Cycle along path and too ped crossing. Over that and to next ped crossing, then its a case of either follow path all the way down or if quiet jump onto cycle/bus lane down to bottom. North side, I was coming down through Inverkeithing and going under motorway and joining up with the cyclepath/walkway heading against the traffic on the sliproad. Its then a case of cycling along past the parked vehicles on that side of road, fairly safe as long as you make yourself visible and look about. The only other way is going as if to North ferry and then take a left at the railings up that small killer path which brings you to same bit anyway !!

 

[HLaB]

Not that I would ever do this myself, but it is easier. The fun part when you are going north is to come down the bus lane from the roundabout and then see how fast you can go between the bollards without hitting them, strangely it is a bus and cycle lane at the top but only a bus lane at the bottom

Went around the signalised rab tonight and down the buslane, skipped the bollard bit (just went round them on the road) 100% legal I think . I got there about 6 and it was solid traffic all the way from the A90 overbridge, east of sqf and the A90 its self looked 10 times worse. I don't know how folk can sit there night after night, especially this week when its been great weather.

 

[chillyuk]

A bit off topic, but talk about the Forth Road Bridge bought back some memories.

Before the road bridge was built, when I used to hitch hike around and backpack, the only pedestrian route across the Forth without a long detour was the ferry between North and South Queensferry. One night I missed the last ferry so was stuck in North Queensferry. I walked back a mile or so until I could get onto the railway, then set off to walk over the rail bridge. It was perfectly safe with a footway. However a train driver must have grassed me up because at the other end I was met by a couple of police officers and I was taken into custody and held in a police station overnight. The next morning I was taken to court in Edinburgh and fined 10/- (50p !) for trespassing on the railway.

I wasn't downhearted though. I had had an evening meal and bed and breakfast, plus a lift into Edinburgh for 10 bob. What more could anyone ask for?