86-683: The Queensferry Crossing (formerly the Forth Replacement Crossing ) is a road bridge in Scotland. It was built alongside the existing Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Bridge . It carries the M90 motorway across the Firth of Forth between Edinburgh , at South Queensferry , and Fife , at North Queensferry . Proposals for a second Forth Road crossing, to meet unexpected demand, were first put forward in
172-516: A dedicated Public Transport Corridor, with access to motor vehicles other than buses and taxis restricted; pedestrians and cyclists are still permitted to use the bridge. In May 2023, Stagecoach Fife started the first driverless bus service to carry passengers in the United Kingdom along a park-and-ride route which includes the Forth Road Bridge as its main section. The first crossing at
258-403: A ferry service to mitigate the impact on travellers. On 23 December, the bridge was reopened for all traffic except heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). On 4 February, it was announced this had been pushed back to March, due to further problems with the truss end link pins in the southern towers, which required additional remedial work. However, a limited number of HGVs were allowed to cross, in
344-404: A frequent timetable with capacity anticipated to be around 10,000 passenger journeys a week. The bridge's central main span is 1,006 metres (3,301 ft) long, its two side spans are each 408 metres (1,339 ft) long, and the approach viaducts are 257 metres (843 ft) on the north side and 438 metres (1,437 ft) on the south side. The total length is 2,512 metres (8,241 ft). It
430-593: A large Labour majority on a 16% swing . Afterwards, media speculated that the Executive had turned against the proposals, and Tavish Scott eventually confirmed their rejection and the retention of the existing toll structure on 1 March 2006. FETA condemned the decision, while local opposition MSPs charged the Minister that his tolling review short-changed Fifers as tolls were axed on the Erskine Bridge , leaving tolls on just
516-409: A maximum of £4 during evening rush hours. All tolls would be halved for cars with more than one occupant, as an incentive for motorists to share cars and make fewer journeys. According to FETA's chairman Lawrence Marshall , the system would provide the most efficiency; he said that 80% of peak-time journeys are made by single-occupant vehicles. The proposal, passed with the chairman's casting vote after
602-634: A new cable-stayed bridge would be constructed, with an estimated cost of between £3.25 billion and £4.22 billion. He claimed it would be "the largest construction project in a generation in Scotland". There was opposition to the project on environmental, traffic and cost grounds. The ForthRight Alliance, an umbrella group including Friends of the Earth , the Scottish Green Party , the RSPB , sustainable transport groups and other local organisations, opposed
688-581: A northbound direction only, between 11 pm and 4 am each night. On 20 February 2016, the bridge was fully reopened. On 20 January 2016, the Scottish Parliament began an inquiry led by the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee (ICI) to determine the circumstances that led to the discovery of a cracked truss in the bridge's undercarriage. Evidence was heard from: FETA, Transport Minister Derek Mackay, engineers and officials from Amey along with
774-432: A number of other experts and key personnel. On the first day, Richard Hornby, of engineering consulting firm Arup , stated that the truss end in question had been inspected 23 times since 2001, and no fault had been found. It was revealed that a pin had seized up, which caused the truss end to crack, and it was only the quality of the steel which had stopped its cracking appearing earlier. Hornby also made clear that even if
860-399: A panel of independent advisers provided a shortlist of possible names. Five names were shortlisted: Caledonia Bridge, Firth of Forth Crossing, Queensferry Crossing, Saltire Crossing and St Margaret's Crossing. A public vote was held up until 7 June 2013 and the name Queensferry Crossing received the most votes: 12,039 out of 37,000 (32%). Several new and upgraded roads connect the bridge into
946-402: A second road crossing at Queensferry had been made in the 1990s, but were shelved, despite preliminary work on route selection. Following the discovery of potentially serious structural issues with the Forth Road Bridge in 2005 the proposals were revisited and plans advanced. The decision to proceed with a replacement bridge was taken at the end of 2007, and it was announced the following year that
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#17328633269161032-410: A variety of animals. Radiocarbon analysis gave a date of c.8300, about 1000 years older than the northern site, making it the earliest known dwelling in Scotland. Additionally three isolated Neolithic pits and a Bronze Age pit group and pit alignment were identified. Forth Road Bridge The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge opened in 1964 and at
1118-651: Is sited west of the road bridge, with the northern landfall at St Margaret's Hope, between Rosyth Dockyard and North Queensferry and the southern landfall just west of Port Edgar in South Queensferry. The central tower was constructed on the Beamer Rock, a small islet in the Forth. The project was known as the Forth Replacement Crossing, and a name for the new bridge was selected in a public vote in 2013 after
1204-505: Is supported by the Minister for Public Finance , since May 2024 Ivan McKee . Following devolution in 1999, the Government of First Minister Donald Dewar instituted the position as the Minister for Finance , which was renamed the Minister for Finance and Local Government in the Government of Henry McLeish from 2000 to 2001. In the first Government of Jack McConnell , from 2001 to 2003,
1290-401: The 2011 election the position was named Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth and the transport portfolio was moved under the remit of another Cabinet position. In November 2014, the first Sturgeon government renamed the position to Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy , and in 2016 it was again renamed to Cabinet Secretary for Finance and
1376-566: The A823(M) at a roundabout with the A823 south of Dunfermline, next to Rosyth railway station . The northern approach roads were built by Whatlings Ltd of Glasgow, later bought by Alfred McAlpine . Seven people died during construction before the bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on 4 September 1964. The ferry service was discontinued as of that date. The bridge's management
1462-549: The A90 number being assigned instead. There was more lobbying for a road crossing in the 1920s and 1930s, when the only vehicle crossing was a single passenger and vehicle ferry. Sir William Denny championed the expansion of that service in the 1930s, providing and operating on behalf of the London and North Eastern Railway two additional ferries to supplement the nearby railway bridge. Due to their success, two more ferry boats were added in
1548-592: The Cabinet in the Scottish Government . The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's Finance Directorates . The post has been held by Shona Robison since March 2023, as Cabinet Secretary for Finance until 8 May 2024 when Local Government was added to her brief. Robison was additionally Deputy First Minister of Scotland from March 2023 to May 2024. The Cabinet Secretary
1634-510: The M9 . The bridge was first due to be completed by December 2016, but this deadline was extended to August 2017 after several delays. It is the third bridge across the Forth at Queensferry, alongside the Forth Road Bridge completed in 1964, and the Forth Rail Bridge completed in 1890. Following a public vote, it was formally named on 26 June 2013 and opened to traffic on 30 August 2017. The bridge
1720-510: The Scottish Government announced in December 2008 that public funding would be used. As part of the Scottish Government's Strategic Transport Projects Review, the new Forth crossing was priced at between £1.72 billion and £2.34 billion. Under the revised scheme, the existing bridge will be retained for public transport, cyclists and pedestrians, and the new bridge was to be operational by 2016. A joint venture between consultancies Arup and Jacobs
1806-490: The 1740s for a road crossing at the site, although its viability was only considered after the Forth Bridge was built in 1890. The importance of the crossing for vehicular traffic was underpinned when the Great Britain road numbering scheme was drawn up in the 1920s. The planners wished the arterial A9 road to be routed across the Forth here, although the unwillingness to have a ferry crossing as part of this route led to
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#17328633269161892-513: The 1940s and 1950s, by which time the ferries were making 40,000 crossings annually, carrying 1.5 million passengers and 800,000 vehicles. With the then newest and nearest bridge spanning the Forth (the Kincardine Bridge , built in 1936) still around 15 miles (24 km) upstream, the upsurge in demand for a road crossing between Edinburgh and Fife prompted the UK Government to establish
1978-462: The 1990s, but no action was taken until structural issues were discovered in the Forth Road Bridge in 2004. In 2006–07 Transport Scotland carried out a study, and in December 2007 decided to proceed with a replacement bridge. The following year it was announced that the existing bridge would be retained as a public transport link. The Forth Crossing Act received royal assent in January 2011. In April 2011,
2064-509: The 21st century the planned theoretical capacity for the bridge was being routinely exceeded. It was designed for up to 11 million vehicles per year, but this had risen steadily to 23 million vehicles in 2006. Between 2003 and 2005, an inspection programme found that the main suspension cables had suffered an estimated 8–10% loss of strength as a result of corrosion. Projections highlighted the likelihood of an accelerating loss of strength, with traffic restrictions to limit loading required in 2014 in
2150-573: The 50th anniversary of the bridge's operation, artist Kate Downie was commissioned to create a print of the bridge and hold an exhibition of works portraying it. On 1 June 2015, Amey took over the maintenance and operating of the bridge on behalf of Transport Scotland from the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, and are now called the Forth Bridges Unit. Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) began to be concerned over
2236-595: The A90 began at Cramond Bridge, over the River Almond on the western outskirts of Edinburgh, near Craigiehall . There were two-level interchanges built at Burnshot, Dolphington (B924) and the Echline junction ( A904 and B800). At Dalmeny there was a bridge over the railway . The southern approach roads were built by A.M. Carmichael Ltd. The 4 mi (6 km) northern approach road had three two-level junctions at Ferry Toll (for
2322-550: The B980), Admiralty (for Rosyth Dockyard via the A985 , and Inverkeithing via the A921 ) and at Mastertown/Masterton (for what would be the fledgling M90 southern terminus). The Masterton junction was an octopus junction, a variation of a clover-leaf junction , with six bridges and a 600 ft viaduct. There were fifteen bridges built for this approach road. The northern approach road terminated as
2408-654: The Constitution . It was further renamed to Finance, Economy and Fair Work in June 2018, taking some additional responsibilities from the position of Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work which was abolished, but losing some constitutional responsibilities to the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations . The title was shortened to simply Cabinet Secretary for Finance in February 2020, with
2494-540: The Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors consortium was awarded the contract, and construction began in late summer/autumn of 2011. The Queensferry Crossing is a three-tower cable-stayed bridge , with an overall length of 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres). Around 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) of new connecting roads were built, including new and upgraded junctions at Ferrytoll in Fife, South Queensferry and Junction 1A on
2580-539: The Forth Road Bridge Joint Board (FRBJB) by Act of Parliament in 1947 to oversee the implementation of a new bridge to replace the ferry service. The authorities on both sides investigated in 1955, and drew up an alternative scheme for a tunnel beneath the estuary. This was known as the Maunsell Scheme, and was projected to run somewhat closer to the rail bridge than the present road bridge. The scheme
2666-450: The Forth and Tay Road Bridges . When an SNP minority government was formed after the Scottish parliamentary election of May 2007 , a new debate on the abolition of tolls was opened by Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson on 31 May 2007, and the abolition was agreed by a large majority. Annual toll income at that point totalled £16,000,000. The Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill
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2752-418: The Forth. On the northern side two post-built structures and their surrounding pits were found, and dated to the mid to late Mesolithic period. On the south bank in a field at Echline the remnants of a sunken floor structure with in situ floor deposits were found. The structure, based around an oval pit approximately 7 metres (23 ft) in length, contained the remains of a hearth, stone tools, and bone from
2838-441: The Forth. The report recommended adoption of a cable-stayed bridge , located to the west of the Forth Road Bridge, as the preferred solution. The study concluded that this option was significantly cheaper than a tunnel, would take less time to construct, and would represent better value for money, though it was noted that a tunnel would have fewer environmental impacts. In December 2007 finance secretary John Swinney announced that
2924-526: The UK's tallest bridge. The completed towers stand at 207 metres (679 ft). On 28 April 2016, one construction worker was killed and another injured in an accident involving a crane. Work on the bridge was halted to allow an investigation to take place. The bridge was due to be completed by December 2016, but that date was put back to May 2017 due to weather delays slowing construction, with 25 days lost due to high winds during April and May 2016. An additional delay
3010-475: The United Kingdom's first passenger-carrying driverless bus trial, planned to take place across the Forth Road Bridge public transport corridor by 2021. Five brand new autonomous 42-seater Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV single-decker buses, with autonomous control modifications supplied by Fusion Processing, are operated by Stagecoach Fife on a 14 miles (23 km) park-and-ride route in mixed traffic at up to 50 mph (80 km/h) between Inverkeithing , on
3096-494: The bidders' concerns that the bidding process itself would prove to be an expensive proposition, the Scottish Government allocated £10 million to defray the bidders' costs during the full bidding process, should the project be abandoned. The two consortia were Forthspan, which included Morgan Sindall , BAM Nuttall and Balfour Beatty ; and Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC), which consists of Dragados , Hochtief , American Bridge , and Morrison Construction . Bids for
3182-515: The bridge from February 2008. The adjacent Queensferry Crossing was opened in August 2017 to carry the M90 motorway across the Firth of Forth, replacing the Forth Road Bridge which had exceeded its design capacity. At its peak, the Forth Road Bridge carried 65,000 vehicles per day. The Forth Road Bridge was subsequently closed for repairs and refurbishment. It reopened in February 2018, now redesignated as
3268-463: The bridge had opened. A report in 2000 stated that prior to then, four people had survived falling from the bridge. Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government ( Scottish Gaelic : Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Ionmhais agus Riaghaltas Ionadail ), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary , is a member of
3354-527: The bridge was closed on 1 December 2015, with all traffic using a single lane each way on the northbound carriageway after steelwork defects had been discovered during routine inspections, and traffic was restricted to 7.5 tonnes or less (public service vehicles excepted). On 4 December, the bridge was fully closed when further structural faults were found. It was initially not expected to reopen until January 2016, and Transport Scotland began work to lay on extra trains and buses and considered whether to reintroduce
3440-458: The bridge's lifespan. These included a dehumidification programme that slowed the rate of corrosion in the main cables by keeping air in the voids between the main cables' strands below 40% humidity. Engineering consultants Faber Maunsell began work on the project in 2006; it took two and a half years to complete at a cost of £7.8 million. As part of the works, some of the corroded cable strands were spliced . The southbound carriageway of
3526-502: The bridge's load. The bridge formed a crucial part of the corridor between south-east and north-east Scotland, linking Edinburgh to Perth , Dundee and Aberdeen by the A90 road and its sister M90 motorway , which used to begin 1 + 2 ⁄ 3 miles (2.7 km) north of the bridge's northern end. The bridge carried around 2.5 million vehicles in its first year, increasing to around 21.4 million vehicles in 2008. The bridge carried its 250 millionth vehicle in 2002. It
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3612-458: The bridge, and that the removal of the southbound toll would result in a reduction of congestion without reducing revenue. FETA said the continued charging of tolls was necessary to fund maintenance and improvement works. These included the construction of defences around the submerged piers forming the bases of the main towers to guard against collisions. The main towers were also strengthened with internal steel columns (the original tower structure
3698-485: The committee was deadlocked, was referred to the Scottish Executive in December 2005, and implementation planned for October 2007 subject to approval by Transport Minister Tavish Scott . Environmental groups welcomed the proposal, but local politicians condemned it as simply a means of raising capital. At the same time, Fife councillors counter-proposed the complete removal of tolls. The Scottish Parliament debated
3784-475: The continued levying of tolls was renewed by Parliament (originally that of the UK but now the Scottish Parliament) in 1998, 2003 and 2006. Originally, a toll was paid for each direction of travel, with sets of tollbooths on both carriageways. In 1997, the northbound toll was doubled (from 40p to 80p) and the southbound toll abolished on the presumption that almost all traffic makes a return journey across
3870-566: The early 1990s, as part of the "Setting Forth" consultation document prepared by the Scottish Office . The plans met stiff opposition from environmentalists and from the City of Edinburgh Council on the grounds of increased traffic. Following the Labour victory in the 1997 general election , the proposals were shelved. The existing bridge had a planned design life of 120 years, but by the early years of
3956-446: The existing bridge would be retained as a public transport link. The Forth Crossing Act received Royal Assent in January 2011, and the new bridge was opened in late 2017. On 1 February 2018, the Forth Road Bridge became a Public Transport Corridor, with all approach roads in full operation. The bridge was closed between September and mid October 2017 for roadworks before partially reopening for public buses. As of December 2020, work
4042-563: The existing road network with around 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) of new roads constructed. These new roads join the M9 and M90 motorways together for the first time, with the Queensferry Crossing being built to motorway standard in order to carry the M90 across the Forth. The M90 motorway previously terminated at Admiralty Junction, around 1.9 miles (3 kilometres) north of the current Forth Road Bridge, with
4128-515: The main contract, priced at between £900 million and £1.2 billion, and including design and construction of the bridge and approach roads, were submitted in January 2011. In March 2011 the Scottish Government announced FCBC as preferred bidder, with a bid of £790 million. Ramboll is leading the Design Joint Venture which includes Sweco and Leonhardt Andra and Partners. In addition to the main contract, two smaller contracts form part of
4214-466: The new crossing and to maintain public transport access to the Forth Road Bridge. The design of the new junction required the realignment of the B981 road to North Queensferry. Ferrytoll Junction was numbered Junction 1B of the M90 following completion of the Queensferry Crossing. The M90 was extended west from the existing bridge access at Ferry Muir, wrapping around South Queensferry to the southern landfall of
4300-511: The new crossing. A grade-separated junction was built on the A904 just west of Echline, at the south-west edge. The existing access from the Forth Road Bridge to the A90 remains open to public transport. South Queensferry Junction became Junction 1A of the M90 when the Queensferry Crossing opened. Junction 1a provides access from the M9 to the Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing via the M9 Spur, which
4386-464: The new legislation on 16 December 2010, and the Forth Crossing Act received royal assent in January 2011. In 2009, Transport Scotland solicited for tenders to construct the proposed bridge. Although Transport Scotland received 39 expressions of interest, concerns over the risks associated with the fixed-price contract resulted in only two consortia of large construction companies bidding. Due to
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#17328633269164472-438: The north side of the Forth, and Edinburgh Park Transport Exchange, across the bridge. The service has two members of staff onboard – for operational reasons and to comply with UK legislation, a safety driver is still present in the cab to monitor the technology, but they do not operate the vehicle other than in exceptional circumstances. A 'captain' takes tickets and answers questions. The service started on 15 May 2023 and runs on
4558-480: The old bridge. The bridge was closed for the first time on 11 February 2020, 30 months after opening, due to accumulations of ice on the towers. Some of the ice then fell onto the carriageway, which damaged eight vehicles and prompted the closure. The bridge is the third crossing of the Forth at Queensferry, alongside the Forth Road Bridge, completed in 1964, and the Forth Bridge, a railway bridge completed in 1890. It
4644-405: The overall length of the bridge is 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres); at opening, it was the longest triple tower cable-stayed bridge in the world. The bridge carries motorcycles, cars and heavy goods vehicles, while public transport, cyclists and pedestrians use the Forth Road Bridge. Wind shielding has been built into the design, to enable use of the bridge in high winds, which often led to restrictions on
4730-462: The plan, receiving criticism from the opposition Scottish National Party . There was a by-election on 9 February 2006 for Dunfermline and West Fife, the constituency in which the north end of the bridge is situated. It was contested (in addition to the major political parties in Scotland) by an Abolish Forth Bridge Tolls Party. Liberal Democrat candidate Willie Rennie won the election, overturning
4816-468: The position was renamed as the Minister for Finance and Public Services , changed to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform after a reshuffle of the Second McConnell government in 2004. The first Government of Alex Salmond in 2007 combined the Minister for Finance element, with that of Enterprise and Transport to create the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth . After
4902-471: The proposals in January 2006, and the affair became a major political issue after UK Cabinet Ministers Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling ( Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Scotland respectively) were seen to describe the variable tolling plan as "dead in the water". Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell insisted his Labour Party colleagues were misquoted, and refused to rule out
4988-516: The responsibilities of the former Economy Secretary separated again and transferred over to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture . The economic responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture were again combined with those of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 19 May 2021 in the position of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy . The title
5074-413: The road continuing as all-purpose dual carriageway across the existing bridge and joining the M9 via the M9 Spur. Admiralty Junction, previously Junction 1 of the M90 motorway remains unaltered, with the exception of a bus lane added on the southbound carriageway. The junction was renumbered to Junction 1C of the M90 when the Queensferry Crossing opened. Ferrytoll Junction was redesigned to give access to
5160-566: The scheme since 1994, and presented arguments that the Forth Road crossing could be repaired and maintained. Another group, Forth Tunnel Action Group, campaigned for a tunnel as the solution with lowest costs and fewest long-term environmental impacts. It was initially suggested that the new bridge would be funded via the Scottish Futures Trust , an alternative to public-private partnership funding for major public-sector schemes. However,
5246-542: The scheme. The contract to implement the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) traffic management system in Fife was awarded to John Graham (Dromore) Ltd, with a tender of £12.9 million, while the upgrade of M9 Junction 1a was awarded to a joint venture between John Sisk and Roadbridge, with a tender of £25.6 million. As with the main contract, the tenders received were below the original estimated budgets. Naeem Hussain, Global Bridge Design Practice Leader at Arup ,
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#17328633269165332-482: The seized pin had been picked up earlier, it was "virtually impossible" to lubricate the bearing. Several witnesses defended a decision by previous operator FETA not to proceed with a £15 million truss end link replacement project in 2010. This was disputed by Barry Colford, former chief engineer and bridgemaster at FETA. Lesley Hinds, FETA's former convener, pointed out that the bridge budget had been cut by 58% in 2011, while senior staff at FETA had "deep concerns" about
5418-451: The site of the bridge was established in the 11th century by Margaret , queen consort of King Malcolm III , who founded a ferry service to transport religious pilgrims from Edinburgh to Dunfermline Abbey and St Andrews . Its creation gave rise to the port towns of Queensferry and North Queensferry, which remain to this day; the passenger ferry service continued without interruption for over 800 years. There were proposals as early as
5504-476: The structural wear of the bridge in the early years of the 21st century. The planned theoretical capacity for the bridge (30,000 vehicles per day in each direction) was routinely exceeded as traffic levels outstripped predictions. The Scottish Government stated in 2006 that 60,000 vehicles travelled on more than half the days in a year. This raised concerns about the lifespan of the bridge, originally planned at 120 years. In 2003, an inspection programme
5590-502: The time was the longest suspension bridge in the world outside the United States. The bridge spans the Firth of Forth , connecting Edinburgh , at South Queensferry , to Fife , at North Queensferry . It replaced a centuries-old ferry service to carry vehicular traffic, cyclists and pedestrians across the Forth; railway crossings are made by the nearby Forth Bridge , opened in 1890. The Scottish Parliament voted to scrap tolls on
5676-574: The transfer of bridge management to a private company. The strategic transport importance of the road bridge and the threat of closure by 2020 if major structural work were not undertaken led to fears of serious economic consequences. Increasing traffic levels across the Firth of Forth had also led to the construction of the Clackmannanshire Bridge adjacent to the existing Kincardine Bridge . This bridge opened in November 2008. Proposals for
5762-477: The widening of the existing connections to assist the flow of traffic at peak times. The improvements were completed in February 2013 at a cost of £25.6m. The junction connecting the A90 / M90 at the southern end of the bridges with the A90 towards Edinburgh city centre and the M90 extension is named the Scotstoun Junction and is numbered as Junction 1 of the M90. An " Intelligent transportation system " (ITS)
5848-642: The worst-case scenario, followed by full closure by 2020. An acoustic monitoring system was commissioned in August 2006, using listening devices to monitor any further strands snapping and pinpoint their location within the main cables. In January 2006, the Scottish Executive completed a third-party audit on the bridge which concluded that FETA had performed the initial internal inspection and cable strength calculation in accordance with accepted practice. The report suggested that traffic restrictions could be required by 2013. Several actions were taken to increase
5934-401: The worst-case scenario. In 2006-2007 Transport Scotland carried out a study to examine the options and in December 2007, the decision was made to proceed with a replacement bridge. The strategic transport importance of the road bridge, and the threat of closure by 2019 if major structural work was not successful, led to fears of serious economic consequences, especially as work on a new crossing
6020-471: Was John Alexander King Hamilton FRSE (1900–1982). It was the longest steel suspension bridge in Europe. It used 210,000 tons of concrete, with 9 miles (14 kilometres) of grade-separated dual-carriageway approach roads . Reed & Mallik built the approach viaducts. Twenty-four individual bridges were built for the approach roads. The 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (7.2 km) southern approach road of
6106-440: Was abandoned as too ambitious, and a bridge was built instead. The final construction plan was accepted in February 1958 and work began that September. Mott, Hay and Anderson and Freeman Fox & Partners carried out the design work and a joint venture of Sir William Arrol & Co. , Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company and Dorman Long constructed the bridge at a cost of £15.1 million. The resident design engineer
6192-529: Was announced in March 2017 as a result of high winds, making work on the structure difficult and unsafe for workers. The opening of the bridge was pushed back to the summer of 2017 as a result of "adverse weather conditions" delaying work on the bridge. The bridge opened on 30 August 2017 and was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 4 September 2017. The bridge is a cable-stayed structure, with three towers each 207 metres (679 ft) high. Including approaches,
6278-570: Was appointed as project manager, and in February 2008 environmental and technical studies were begun, continuing through 2009. Public consultations were held, and some changes to the scheme were made in response to the comments received. An environmental statement was published in November 2009, coinciding with the introduction of the Forth Crossing Bill into the Scottish Parliament by John Swinney. A majority of MSPs voted in favour of
6364-421: Was awarded Historic Scotland 's Category A listed structure status in 2001. On 11 February 2008, tolls were abolished on the bridge by The Scottish Government. Initially, it was suggested that tolls would cease once the original cost of construction (plus accrued interest ) was repaid. This was achieved in 1993, and it was planned that tolls would not be levied after May 1995. Instead, legislation enabling
6450-579: Was delegated to the FRBJB, and remained so until 2002 when its operation was transferred to a new body with a wider remit, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority . On 1 December 2010, the bridge was closed for the first time due to heavy snow. After several accidents meant snowploughs were unable to clear the carriageways, the bridge was closed in both directions at 6.40 a.m. and remained closed for several hours. As part of celebrations of
6536-635: Was estimated to take up to 11 years. Scottish Transport Minister Nicol Stephen commissioned a new study, which priced a second Forth Road Bridge at £300 million, in 2003. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority voiced support for a new bridge in 2005, and in 2006 the UK Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling , spoke in favour of the idea. In 2007, the Forth Replacement Crossing Study was commissioned by Transport Scotland to examine various options for new bridges or tunnels across
6622-502: Was formally opened on 4 September 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II , fifty-three years to the day after she opened the adjacent Forth Road Bridge. A crossing route over the Forth had existed at the site since the eleventh century, when the queen of Scotland, Margaret , founded a free ferry to take pilgrims north to St Andrews . The site of the ferry crossing became the location of the Forth Road Bridge, which opened in 1964. Proposals for an additional road crossing at Queensferry were drawn up in
6708-503: Was hollow) and had hydraulic rams jack up these sections to transfer a portion of the load to the new steelwork. Also, the vertical cables suspending the deck had their bolts replaced after a detected failure. A new paint system required development for the bridge (the original was phased out due to environmental concerns). In late-2005, FETA's committee approved a proposed revamp of the tolls. The minimum toll would stay fixed at £1, but higher tolls would be charged at some times of day, with
6794-451: Was installed between Halbeath on the M90, and the M9, covering the whole scheme. The ITS is an active traffic management , enabling variable speed restrictions and lane closures to be displayed on overhead gantries. During routine archaeological excavations by Headland Archaeology in advance of work on the new bridge, archaeological deposits from the Mesolithic were found on both sides of
6880-406: Was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 3 September 2007, passed on 20 December 2007, and received royal assent on 24 January 2008. The tolls were removed on 11 February 2008 at 00:01 GMT. The abolition of the tolls was enacted immediately after a major reconstruction of the northbound toll plaza was completed. In 2011, it was stated that around 800 people had fallen to their deaths since
6966-427: Was launched (costing £1.2 million) to assess the condition of the main suspension cables after corrosion was discovered in a number of older bridges in the United States of a similar design and size. The study was completed two years later and reported that the main cables had suffered an 8%–10% loss of strength. This weakening was projected to accelerate, with traffic restrictions to limit loading required in 2014 in
7052-564: Was renamed back to Cabinet Secretary for Finance upon the formation of the First Yousaf Government on 29 March 2023, with Deputy First Minister Shona Robison taking the office. Following John Swinney 's government formation Robison was given additional responsibilities for local government as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government . The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government are: Budget The following public bodies report to
7138-455: Was renumbered as M90 upon completion of the Queensferry Crossing. Originally, only east-facing connections were provided to the M9, forcing traffic heading west from the bridge onto the A904 through the village of Newton in West Lothian. The upgrade of the junction included new west-facing slip roads, enabling direct access onto the M9 from the Forth Road Bridge and the new crossing, as well as
7224-784: Was the lead design engineer for the project. Preparatory works for the new bridge began in September 2011 with works beginning at the southern end of the M90 to build the northern approach roads. 149 segments of bridge deck, each of which is 12 metres (39 ft) long and 40 metres (130 ft) wide, were constructed in China and Spain, then delivered by sea in October 2013. The approach steel bridge sections were manufactured by Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company in Darlington . The towers reached 160 metres (525 ft) in height in August 2015, making it
7310-577: Was the longest suspension bridge span outside the United States and the fourth-longest span in the world at the time of its construction. The bridge is made of 39,000 tonnes of steel and 115,000 cubic metres of concrete . The towers reach 156 metres (512 ft) above mean water level. There is a dual carriageway road with two lanes in each direction, and cycle/footpaths on each side. The main strung cables are 590 millimetres (23 in) in diameter, with 11,618 high tensile wires, each five millimetres in diameter, and each cable carries 13,800 tonnes of
7396-413: Was underway that would allow the Forth Road Bridge to become an emergency diversion route for private transport. The Queensferry Crossing has proofing that makes it less vulnerable to high winds than the Forth Road Bridge, but it was closed for the first time in February 2020 due to accumulations of ice on its towers. On 22 November 2018, it was announced that £4.35 million of funding had been secured for
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