:00:00. > :00:10.Small firms could struggle to survive unless there's greater
:00:11. > :00:13.certainty about when the Forth Road Bridge will reopen,
:00:14. > :00:18.The Federation of Small Businesses welcomed today's easing
:00:19. > :00:20.of traffic restrictions, but said traders on either side
:00:21. > :00:22.of the Forth Road Bridge were at risk.
:00:23. > :00:33.It may be this season to be jolly, but the Forth Road Bridge closure
:00:34. > :00:38.could not have come at a worse time for small businesses dependent on
:00:39. > :00:43.Christmas trade. The timing is not great. December is the month when
:00:44. > :00:48.all retailers have to make good figures. It is unfortunate. Anything
:00:49. > :00:53.that affects business in December is problematic. At one end of the
:00:54. > :00:56.bridge near South Queensferry, this farm shop fears losing staff being
:00:57. > :01:03.put off why their extended journey to work. Some mornings there was
:01:04. > :01:09.maybe 300, 400 people at the station. Last night on the train I
:01:10. > :01:14.was standing up against the door. I had to lean on to someone so that
:01:15. > :01:18.when it opened I did not fall out. Businesses say that the uncertainty
:01:19. > :01:22.over when the bridge will reopen undermines the survival of many
:01:23. > :01:26.small companies. The priority must be getting a confirmed end date for
:01:27. > :01:30.this work so that we can get bridging finance in place and make
:01:31. > :01:34.sure that what is a temporary closure does not damage the Scottish
:01:35. > :01:38.economy. There is some relief that traffic restrictions at the
:01:39. > :01:42.Kincardine Bridge have been lifted. A priority route has been open to
:01:43. > :01:47.cars that weakens and commercial vans will have 24 hour access to it
:01:48. > :01:52.from Monday. It is thought that the Forth Road Bridge will reopen in the
:01:53. > :01:54.New Year after repairs to a crack in the structure. Transport Scotland
:01:55. > :02:00.says engineers are working round-the-clock to make that happen.
:02:01. > :02:01.The body of a man has been discovered
:02:02. > :02:03.in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh.
:02:04. > :02:05.He was found on Leamington Terrace, near the junction with
:02:06. > :02:10.The Scottish Government says services designed to get people
:02:11. > :02:12.with disabilities and on benefits back into work
:02:13. > :02:20.The Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham claims
:02:21. > :02:22.the recent spending review announced by Chancellor George Osborne
:02:23. > :02:25.will see funding reduced by ?40 million.
:02:26. > :02:27.The UK Government insists Scotland will get its fair share
:02:28. > :02:29.of spending, and will be able to use its own resources
:02:30. > :02:39.A pioneering social enterprise that uses foreign language teaching
:02:40. > :02:40.to help the elderly and vulnerable adults
:02:41. > :02:43.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended the launch
:02:44. > :02:45.of "Lingo Flamingo" in Govan, which uses lessons, music
:02:46. > :02:55.and exercises to tackle dementia, and other forms of mental illness.
:02:56. > :03:00.Initially at the start of lessons people were quite scared about
:03:01. > :03:03.speaking a foreign-language and worried about making mistakes, but
:03:04. > :03:06.through the lessons we can see them gaining confidence and remembering
:03:07. > :03:09.some of the vocabulary and getting into the flow of conversations. It
:03:10. > :03:11.is good for their self-worth and self-confidence.
:03:12. > :03:15.Football, and the Premiership's second-placed team Aberdeen beat
:03:16. > :03:17.third-placed Hearts to put seven points between them.
:03:18. > :03:19.Late in the match, Hearts defender Jordan McGhee gave away
:03:20. > :03:33.Here are the rest of the day's results.
:03:34. > :03:37.Rangers held a minute's silence before their game against Morton,
:03:38. > :03:39.following the fatal shooting of former Ibrox player,
:03:40. > :03:42.The Honduras international was shot dead, while on holiday
:03:43. > :03:47.Hibs also drew, to third-placed Falkirk.
:03:48. > :03:49.Rugby, and Glasgow Warriors thumped Scarlets 43-6
:03:50. > :03:58.Edinburgh were beaten 38-6 at London Irish.
:03:59. > :04:00.Let's get the weather outlook for tonight and tomorrow.
:04:01. > :04:12.It is looking cold. There's a widespread risk of ice on untreated
:04:13. > :04:16.surfaces overnight, especially in the south where we have had rain
:04:17. > :04:21.today, but anywhere across the country could see some icy tonight.
:04:22. > :04:26.Patches of freezing fog in the north and temperatures dipping well below
:04:27. > :04:29.freezing. Tomorrow, a bright start with some freezing fog around and it
:04:30. > :04:35.will be called with some ice in places. Lots of dry weather to come
:04:36. > :04:38.with a veil of cloud pushing in from the south, eventually bringing rain
:04:39. > :04:41.to Dumfries Galloway by the end of the afternoon. It will be called,
:04:42. > :04:45.not getting much above freezing in places. Tomorrow evening as that
:04:46. > :04:50.rain pushes north, it will meet that cold air and turn to snow,
:04:51. > :04:54.particularly to the north of the central belt, where we have a
:04:55. > :04:55.weather warning, even at low levels, were significantly more snow at
:04:56. > :04:59.higher levels. That's the forecast. Don't forget Sunday
:05:00. > :05:01.Politics Scotland - on air at 11am tomorrow
:05:02. > :05:03.with Gordon Brewer. From everyone here, bye for now.
:05:04. > :05:07.Enjoy your Saturday evening.