Overnight closures of Queensferry Crossing carriageways will take place over the next week to allow for testing of a new automated barrier system.

The new barrier system is designed to allow M90 traffic to be diverted via the Forth Road Bridge more quickly if the Queensferry Crossing needs to be closed for any reason.

The M90 northbound carriageway will be closed between Scotstoun and Ferrytoll from 10pm until 5am on the night of Tuesday, October 31, with northbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge.

The southbound carriageway will then be closed between Ferrytoll and Scotstoun from 10pm until 5am on the night of Wednesday, November 1, with southbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge. 

A trial deployment of the barriers will then be carried out on the night of Saturday, November 4, to ensure they are operating correctly.

The Queensferry Crossing will be closed in both directions from 11pm until 5am, 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: “Work has progressed well on the project to install the new automated barrier system on either side of the Queensferry Crossing.

"Overnight carriageway closures are required so that we can test the system and ensure it is working as intended before we carry out a full trial with traffic.

“These 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.”