The work, which has previously been estimated at costing around £65 million, is expected to take more than 10 years to complete, although it appears a team of specialist painters are set to get work on the structure later this year.

The bridge’s category A-listed status means that painters have been left with just one colour option — grey — and the existing pigment will have to be removed before fresh coats are applied.

Transport Scotland confirmed that the painting programme has been included on a list of tasks to be carried out on the Forth Road Bridge over the coming years in an update to the Scottish Government’s rural economy and connectivity committee

Michelle Rennie, major transport infrastructure projects director at Transport Scotland, told The Scotsman: “The FRB main truss deck has never been painted since the time of its construction completion in 1964.

“A series of small programmed patch repairs are routinely undertaken by the in-house painting team, however an extensive programme of major painting and steelwork repair and refurbishment works are required to the exposed areas of steel.

“At present, a trial is being developed for implementation in 2018.

“This will then be used to inform the future long-term painting and repair/refurbishment works that may be undertaken over a period of up to 10 years.”