3 Responses to “Should there be a new Forth Road Bridge?”

1. 18saughtonmains says:

   November 16, 2009 at 3:43 pm

   A new Forth road bridge isn’t very permaculture is it?

   From your article in Reforesting Scotland: “[Permaculture] is a solution carved from the wit and intelligence of many thousands of people, which suggests we can actively design the way we live to tread lightly on the planet and yet meet all our human needs.”

   This bridge will be designed by a few hundred people to suit the business-as-usual approach that’s got us into this mess. It won’t encourage modal shift; it won’t encourage localisation of production; it just risks making Scotland bankrupt again. As Patrick says: it’s the small projects that will go to the wall in order to build this expensive bridge.
2. Sean Sweeney says:

   November 19, 2009 at 12:48 pm

   The poster makes a valid point regarding the few that are involved in the bridges development.
   However Brian, a caller to the show makes a very valid point regarding the effect to thousands should the bridge be closed for repair.
   The traffic has to find it’s way to it’s destination and the extra mileage will have a longer term effect on surrounding villages.
   Increased pollution and an undermining of the infrastructure due to vastly increased traffic. And whilst the cost of a new bridge seems expensive. We cannot estimate the cost of damage that closing a bridge for repair will be, not only in terms of visible damage to small villages but also consumer increases due to increased time and distance.
   Therefore is it lighter footed to build new and prevent false economy of repairing a corroded structure? Or is it better to force 40 tonne articulated vehicles to traverse the smaller vilages causing congestion, damage and possibly increase the health and safety risks to thousands in the interim?
3. Nancy says:

   January 28, 2010 at 1:32 pm

   Short term we must plan for people living in dormitories to access cities and the jobs and resources which have been concentrated there. Long term we want to plan for people to have these things in their own location. And they will have to be desirable, worthwhile, fulfilling and able to support the expectations of individuals and families. Not the minimum basics, a really value added experience of living.
   Who is encouraging us to plan for this long term, and how far away is it? It seems to be getting closer all the time, but also increasingly hard to achieve in the timescale we want.

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