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Forth Road Bridge operator, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), has defended its procedure for dealing with high winds after a truck overturned and crossed the central reservation last week. The curtain-sided lorry was hit by a sudden 68mph gust after being let onto the crossing at about 11.15am on 12 March. The accident closed the bridge for several hours and caused massive disruption.

Tony Martin, convener of FETA, says when the vehicle arrived at the crossing, winds had not  reached 50 mph - the speed at which high-sided vehicles would normally be diverted away. However, Claire Baker, Labour MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, claims removing the toll barriers from the road bridge last month has made the enforcement of weight, weather and speed restrictions more problematic.

She adds: "Since their removal, the job has been left to police officers from Lothian and Borders and Fife Constabulary, risking the safety of officers and diverting them from other activities." Martin says having tollbooths in place would not have prevented the crash and that a similar incident had occurred in January. "Both this incident and the one on 31 January featured empty curtain-sided lorries with their sides closed. Had these vehicles been loaded or had their tarpaulins been tied open, it is likely that they would have stayed upright," says Martin.

FETA says it is speaking to hauliers, the Met Office, the police and other public sector agencies to look at ways of improving  early warning systems and enforcing restrictions. It has also organised a working group to look at the issues. Meanwhile, three LGVs blew over last Wednesday in the strong winds on the M6 at the Thelwall Viaduct near Warrington and several lorries narrowly avoided disaster on the Runcorn Widnes bridge. A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police says: "It was frustrating to see high-sided lorries trying to cross the Runcorn bridge despite our warning signs and alerts on the local radio."