Hauliers have warned the closure of the Forth Road Bridge could cause “havoc”.
Martin Reid, from the Road Haulage Association in Scotland, said firms could incur huge costs from the closure, with more drivers potentially required to complete journeys in allotted timeframes.
Mr Reid called for action to mitigate some of the disruption that would hit companies hard financially, and said the timing of the closure is a considerable blow for the sector.
“The timing of this could not be worse as we are now in the run-up to Christmas,” he told The Courier.
“This is the busiest time of year for hauliers so to close one of the busiest routes in the country is going to cause real problems.
“I would echo what has been said elsewhere and encourage people to use public transport to free up the roads.”
With huge delays having already been reported after the restrictions this week, Mr Reid said hauliers are already counting the cost of closing the Forth Road Bridge.
“It is going to play havoc with us,” he continued. “Every delay that is incurred has a cost attached to it.
“We can only guess what the full effects are going to be and it is very difficult to say just now.
“It could affect drivers’ working hours. If journeys cannot be completed in normal time then it could mean that hauliers have to double up drivers in the truck.”