Calls are continuing to be made for the Forth Road Bridge to be reopened in an effort to ease congestion until the "tourist boom" of the Queensferry Crossing passes.

Edinburgh West MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton this week urged Transport Scotland to temporarily allow traffic to use the old bridge.

Both ends of the new £1.35 billion structure have experienced queues stretching for miles since its opening.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "With such a fantastic structure there was always going to be an addition to traffic due to tourists wanting to see the new structure.

"However it is clear that this is having a material impact on people's livelihood with some commuters from Fife missing half a day of work due to the excessive build up of traffic.

"To help those who depend on free flowing traffic to on from Fife Transport Scotland should consider delaying the work to the Forth Road Bridge and keep it open until the 'tourist boom' of the new bridges passes."

The new bridge across the Firth of Forth re-opened to vehicles overnight into Thursday, ahead of the morning rush hour.

It had opened to traffic on August 30 but was closed for celebrations between September 1 and 6, with vehicles using the Forth Road Bridge instead.

A 40mph speed limit is in place on the approach roads and over the new crossing.

The Forth Road Bridge remains open to pedestrians and cyclists as work continues to make the final connections to the network.

Later in the year the Queensferry Crossing will become a motorway and the Forth Road Bridge will become a public transport corridor.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "We appreciate road users patience as the new road layout and crossing continues to bed in and recommend people plan their journeys in advance and check Traffic Scotland for the latest position on the roads before starting their journey.

"We have always said that even when the crossing becomes a fully operational motorway the main advantage will be its resilience and journey time reliability, as result of the introduction of hard shoulders, wind-shielding and a 70 mph speed limit.

"It is a replacement for the Forth Road Bridge and as such does not increase capacity.

"The Forth Road Bridge will become a public transport corridor in the autumn, until then we are not going to get a true picture of operational performance."

The spokesman added it is normal for new infrastructure such as the bridge to experience build up of traffic during their initial weeks of opening.

Officers for the public body are monitoring the new network to identify congestion points.

The Queen officially opened the bridge on Monday, a high point in a series of events marking the opening of the structure, the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world.

If you've been affected by the traffic chaos at the Crossing since its opening, use the contribution button below to send us your images. Please note the Evening Times advises drivers to not take images themselves. Ensure another passenger is present in the vehicle to do so.

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Queensferry Crossing traffic chaos

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From Bill Davidson

What is your response?Crossed over yesterday for the first time, 40mph all the way. Have to expect some delays as the infrastructure is still being worked on. What a bridge though