§ Lord Selkirk of Douglasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What will be the costs of renovating the Forth Railway Bridge, and over what timescale; and whether safety will remain a top priority. [HL879]
§ Lord WhittyThe maintenance of the Forth Bridge is the responsibility of Railtrack. We understand that in late 1997 they let a £ 40 million contract to a company called Rigblast for the maintenance of the bridge. The works will be carried out in conjunction with improvements to the trackbed and bridge structure. Work began on 1 November 1997 and is expected to be completed by 31 December 2000. HSE will continue to monitor Railtack's improvements to the bridge to ensure that its safety is maintained.