ONLY allowing bikes and buses on the Forth Road Bridge would be a “big mistake”, claims Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and former Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie.

MSP Mr Rennie has suggested the old bridge should also be used by key workers, like NHS staff, to help ease traffic trouble on the new Queensferry Crossing.

The £1.35 billion project has seen lengthy tailbacks and heavy congestion since it opened fully to traffic earlier this month.

“To simply allow buses and bikes on it given how much it costs to maintain would, in my eyes, be a big mistake,” Mr Rennie said.

“You aren’t getting the full worth out of it if you limit what’s allowed on it.

“I think we need to allow usage, maybe even just at peak times, for key workers to be able to cross the bridge.”

“I have been mulling over this idea for some time. I know that it’s not necessarily an easy thing to do.

“You need to consider how do you police and monitor it to make sure it is just key workers that are able to get over the bridge, maybe starting with the NHS.”

The Forth Road Bridge is currently undergoing maintenance and upon completion, in around five weeks’ time, will reopen to public transport and emergency vehicles, as well as cyclists and pedestrians.

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “It is too early to look at changes to how the Queensferry Crossing operates, at full motorway speed limit, with the Forth Road Bridge used as a public transport corridor.

“Once the Managed Crossing strategy is implemented, with the Forth Road Bridge open to public transport in October, assessments can be undertaken at an appropriate future time to determine how the corridor is operating.”

Mr Rennie was left “surprised” by the response that did not rule out his suggestion completely.

He said: “The Scottish Government’s response wasn’t no, it was not right now. So they’re obviously thinking about how they can best use the bridge as well and how they can open it up, with relative ease, to wider groups of people.

“There needs to be a consideration of how we make full use of it.

“That’s what I think people should start having a debate about.

“I want people to ask how best we can use this expensive asset that’s costing a lot to maintain and getting better value for money.

“I was surprised they were so open to the idea. I thought they may just close the suggestion down.

“Pressure will build now.

“As soon as there’s an accident on the new bridge – I hope there won’t be, but imagine there will be – and the bridge closes, there’s going to be a lot of demand and pressure for the Forth Road Bridge to be used in those circumstances.

“They won’t insist that drivers go all the way to Kincardine.”

A 40mph speed limit is currently in place on the Queensferry Crossing and there has been suggestions that a rise to 50mph could be fast-tracked, as the Press reported on our front page recently.