The Forth Road Bridge will reopened to all vehicles within three weeks, engineers and the Scottish Government have pledged.
Bridge operator Amey said yesterday it aims to complete work to repair a crack under the carriageway by the start of the first working week of the new year.
MSPs were given the target of January 4 during a briefing meeting yesterday, where they were told the closure was “responsible, proportionate and had the support of independent experts”.
Transport Minister Derek MacKay said: “The decision to close the Forth Road Bridge is not taken lightly. It is based on the expert opinion of the engineers who operate the bridge day to day and that of independent experts in the field.”
Work has started on the main repair after a truss end link cracked on the vital structure more than a week ago, leaving businesses – including those in the north and north-east – and commuters facing traffic nightmares.
It is understood engineers have advised that, barring any seriously adverse weather, the bridge will be operational in three weeks’ time.
MSPs will launch a parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the closure tomorrow.
The infrastructure committee will discuss the issue during a public session and approve the move.
Committee member and North East MSP Alex Johnstone said: “While that is not my first preference, I was fully supportive in asking for an inquiry in committee. That’s going to at least give us the option to drag it all out in public and discuss it.”
Labour and the SNP have clashed over the cause of the fracture after the opposition party released an e-mail at the weekend which showed “abnormal” heavy loads were banned from the bridge in February.
It revealed former chief engineer Barry Colford ordered restrictions on the passage of vehicles weighing more than 150 tonnes after analysis of the loading on the bridge’s truss end links.
Mr Mackay accused Labour of playing political games with the closure.
Labour’s deputy leader, Alex Rowley, has called on the Scottish Government to publish all documentation relating to maintenance work on the Forth Road Bridge and challenged ministers about budget cuts to the bridge.