Bridge wires snap 'one a month'

A picture of a single break recorded at the Forth Road Bridge

More than one wire a month is snapping on the Forth Road Bridge, monitoring equipment has revealed.

Advitam, the specialist company which set up acoustic monitoring instruments on the bridge, said 22 wires had broken since August 2006.

The wire snaps, which are detected by microphones embedded inside the cables, come on top of 86 snapped wires found during an inspection four years ago.

However, officials said the wire breaks were in line with "expectations".

The purpose of the reports is to give us advanced warning to changes in patterns and if there is any increase in the rate of deterioration Chris Waite Forth Estuary Transport Authority

Chris Waite, Forth Estuary Transport Authority (Feta) spokesman, said a monthly report from Advitam had revealed the latest statistics.

He said: "There have been 22 wire breaks and one further possible break in the past 17 months out of the 11,618 wires that are in the bridge's main cables.

"This is entirely within expectations. There is no undue concern or need to revise our plans from this latest monthly report.

"The purpose of the reports is to give us advanced warning to changes in patterns and if there is any increase in the rate of deterioration.

"We are happy the acoustic system is providing reassurance."

A system to dry out the wires is due to be installed by October 2009.