Economic development news: Groups slam a bridge too far

Some of Scotland's most powerful environmental and conservation groups last week joined forces to fight plans for a second road bridge to span the Firth of Forth alongside the existing road bridge and rail bridge. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority has included a second road bridge option in its draft transport strategy, but the ForthRight Alliance - a coalition of RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, World Wildlife Fund Scotland, the Scottish Civic Trust and the National Trust for Scotland - has pledged to fight the plan. RSPB Scotland head of policy operations Lloyd Austin said: "This proposal flies in the face of our efforts to reduce traffic pollution to help protect society from the growing problem of climate change. It also puts at risk the specially protected birds of the Firth of Forth."