12/12/2015 Reporting Scotland

Small firms could struggle to survive unless there's greater

certainty about when the Forth Road Bridge will reopen,

The Federation of Small Businesses welcomed today's easing

of traffic restrictions, but said traders on either side

of the Forth Road Bridge were at risk.

It may be this season to be jolly, but the Forth Road Bridge closure

could not have come at a worse time for small businesses dependent on

Christmas trade. The timing is not great. December is the month when

all retailers have to make good figures. It is unfortunate. Anything

that affects business in December is problematic. At one end of the

bridge near South Queensferry, this farm shop fears losing staff being

put off why their extended journey to work. Some mornings there was

maybe 300, 400 people at the station. Last night on the train I

was standing up against the door. I had to lean on to someone so that

when it opened I did not fall out. Businesses say that the uncertainty

over when the bridge will reopen undermines the survival of many

small companies. The priority must be getting a confirmed end date for

this work so that we can get bridging finance in place and make

sure that what is a temporary closure does not damage the Scottish

economy. There is some relief that traffic restrictions at the

Kincardine Bridge have been lifted. A priority route has been open to

cars that weakens and commercial vans will have 24 hour access to it

from Monday. It is thought that the Forth Road Bridge will reopen in the

New Year after repairs to a crack in the structure. Transport Scotland

says engineers are working round-the-clock to make that happen.

The body of a man has been discovered

in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh.

He was found on Leamington Terrace, near the junction with

The Scottish Government says services designed to get people

with disabilities and on benefits back into work

The Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham claims

the recent spending review announced by Chancellor George Osborne

will see funding reduced by ?40 million.

The UK Government insists Scotland will get its fair share

of spending, and will be able to use its own resources

A pioneering social enterprise that uses foreign language teaching

to help the elderly and vulnerable adults

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended the launch

of "Lingo Flamingo" in Govan, which uses lessons, music

and exercises to tackle dementia, and other forms of mental illness.

Initially at the start of lessons people were quite scared about

speaking a foreign-language and worried about making mistakes, but

through the lessons we can see them gaining confidence and remembering

some of the vocabulary and getting into the flow of conversations. It

is good for their self-worth and self-confidence.

Football, and the Premiership's second-placed team Aberdeen beat

third-placed Hearts to put seven points between them.

Late in the match, Hearts defender Jordan McGhee gave away

Here are the rest of the day's results.

Rangers held a minute's silence before their game against Morton,

following the fatal shooting of former Ibrox player,

The Honduras international was shot dead, while on holiday

Hibs also drew, to third-placed Falkirk.

Rugby, and Glasgow Warriors thumped Scarlets 43-6

Edinburgh were beaten 38-6 at London Irish.

Let's get the weather outlook for tonight and tomorrow.

It is looking cold. There's a widespread risk of ice on untreated

surfaces overnight, especially in the south where we have had rain

today, but anywhere across the country could see some icy tonight.

Patches of freezing fog in the north and temperatures dipping well below

freezing. Tomorrow, a bright start with some freezing fog around and it

will be called with some ice in places. Lots of dry weather to come

with a veil of cloud pushing in from the south, eventually bringing rain

to Dumfries Galloway by the end of the afternoon. It will be called,

not getting much above freezing in places. Tomorrow evening as that

rain pushes north, it will meet that cold air and turn to snow,

particularly to the north of the central belt, where we have a

weather warning, even at low levels, were significantly more snow at

higher levels. That's the forecast. Don't forget Sunday

Politics Scotland - on air at 11am tomorrow

with Gordon Brewer. From everyone here, bye for now.

Enjoy your Saturday evening.