A parliamentary inquiry into the Forth Road Bridge closure is set to start taking evidence next month.
A Holyrood committee agreed today how it will probe the circumstances surrounding the bridge’s structural defect.
The closure sparked travel and financial misery for people across Fife and beyond, as well as a political row over delayed repairs and cut budgets.
The infrastructure committee has limited its scope to the identification and structural impact of the 20mm crack and the actions of those responsible for its maintenance. It will not be looking into the ensuing chaos.
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The inquiry, which is set to restrict its remit on repair programmes to the past decade, is to call witnesses from Transport Scotland, private company Amey, the now defunct Forth Estuary Bridge Authority and independent experts.
Transport Secretary Derek Mackay said: “I welcome the ICI committee’s decision to hold an inquiry, once the bridge has reopened, and I look forward to participating in that process.”
If the works go to plan, the bridge is to reopen on January 4.
Jim Eadie MSP, convener of the infrastructure committee, said: “It is my expectation that oral evidence sessions will be heard in January and February next year with a committee report being published in March.”
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