FETA in confusion over cable drying

CONFUSION HAS arisen over the dehumidification work being carried out on the Forth road bridge, following a public meeting in South Queensferry attended by four MSPs and around 60 local residents. The SNP Lothians MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville told the audience that thebridge’s chief engineer Barry Colford had denied saying he was ever “highly confident” that dehumidification would arrest the corrosion which is affecting the cables. But at the same meeting, Queensferry community council chair Tom Martin claimed that the press officer for the bridge, Chris Waite, had told him there was “a high degree of confidence” that the cable-drying technique would succeed in arresting corrosion, although it was impossible to be absolutely certain.

           Asked to explain the apparent contradiction, Mr Waite insisted there was no confusion and supplied two engineering reports which he claimed dealt with the issue. However, neither document contained any reference to FETA’s degree of confidence in dehumidification.

MSPs and campaigners address Queensferry residents

In December 2007 the Secretary for sustainable development, John Swinney approved the plans for a new bridge, saying he could not be confident that dehumidification would arrest cable corrosion. Last year Barry Colford told the ForthRight Alliance and Transform Scotland that he was highly confident that the cable drying system now being installed on the bridge would succeed in arresting corrosion, although it was not possible to be 100% certain. In an email the following day his press officer Chris Waite confirmed the statement, saying: “It would be fair to say that we have a high degree of confidence that the corrosion can be halted.”

            However since this information was published in the Sunday Herald, FETA and the government have played down the importance of such a senior engineer’s opinion, as it could have undermined the case for building the new bridge.

• Despite repeated requests, both Ms Somerville and Feta have insisted that their view is clear and that there is “a degree of confidence” that dehumidification will arrest corrosion. However, the term “a degree” is meaningless and flatly contradicts comments made by Mr Colford on 16 July last year which were confirmed by email. (See Comment on right of website)