Last week, the bridge board said motorists would soon learn by how much the tolls would have to increase to finance a shortfall of more than £8 million in the cost of essential repairs.

It had been mooted the only way the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board could avoid increasing crossing costs would be to seek an extension to the 2016 date by which all capital borrowing must be repaid.

The minister today confirmed the affordability of such an action was being scrutinised in the review.

“That is something that has been, of course, looked at as part of the review and I look forward to seeing the findings,” he said.

The bridge is part of the A92 trunk road linking the Forth and Tay road bridges — a road for which the Executive is directly responsible.

Having already suggested it would be difficult to remove tolls altogether on the two bridges, the minister says he is keeping an open mind while he awaits the review findings.

When asked whether the Executive might shoulder the shortfall and actually pay for it, Mr Scott again referred to the review.

“All I can say is we will look closely at the review but also the demands of the city in relation to its transport links and I look forward to receiving it,” he added.

So far the bridge board has declined to give a ‘ball-park’ figure on any potential increase but it is the Executive who would have the final say before any could be introduced.

Board chairman John Letford has already gone on the record as saying he did not think the board would want the increase to be more than 20p, taking the toll up to £1 — a level treasurer David Dorward has said would ensure funding of the repair work.

Only Executive ministers can make the order to revise tolls after the proposal has been publicly advertised. The overall cost of the repair work — which involves corrosion to box girders and the tops of the columns — is estimated to be around £19 million.

The bridge toll review is expected sometime in the autumn.