Forth Road Bridge is to get first full paint job since it opened

The Forth road Bridge is to be painted - and it'll take about ten years. Picture Lisa Ferguson.

Transport Scotland has revealed that a trial is being developed to finally paint the bridge’s main truss deck in its entirety.

The work, which has previously been estimated at costing around £65 million, is expected to take more than 10 years to complete, although it appears a team of specialist painters are to get to work on the structure later this year.

Most traffic – apart from public transport – now uses the new £1.35bn Queensferry Crossing, which opened last year, instead of the Forth Road Bridge.

Transport Scotland confirmed that the painting programme has been included on a list of tasks to be carried out on the Forth Road Bridge over the coming years in an update to the Scottish Government’s rural economy and connectivity committee.