The Queensferry Crossing will be officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 4 September 2017.

  • The ceremony, with activities taking place at both sides of the bridge, will include:
  • A welcome address by the First Minister
  • A blessing by the Moderator of General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
  • A specially commissioned poem read by Scotland’s Makar
  • Live performances showcasing a cross-section of Scotland’s music talent

The 1.7 mile Queensferry Crossing – the world’s longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge – is set to be delivered at a cost of £1.35 billion, £245 million under the original budget.

Following the inception of plans for a new bridge in 2007, construction commenced in June 2011 and the project has involved more than 15,000 people, including the creation of 1,200 jobs in the local area, with thousands more indirectly employed

The new bridge opens to traffic for the first time on 30 August, prior to closing on 2-3 September for the Queensferry Crossing Experience, when 50,000 members of the public have the unique opportunity to walk across the bridge – following a ballot that attracted almost 250,000 entries.

On 5 September, an additional ‘community day’ has been added, giving up to 10,000 more people from local schools and community groups on both sides of the Forth the chance to walk on the bridge. From 6 September onwards the bridge will re-open to traffic with no pedestrian access.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“It is very fitting that the Queensferry Crossing will be officially opened by The Queen, exactly 53 years to the day from when she opened the Forth Road Bridge. Importantly, this celebratory event will recognise the thousands of people who have been involved in the construction of the new bridge.

“The Queensferry Crossing is a symbol of a confident, forward-looking Scotland and – as well as providing a vital transport connection for many years to come – it is a truly iconic structure and a feat of modern engineering.

“The Queensferry Crossing Experience attracted huge interest from across Scotland and beyond, demonstrating the widespread excitement and pride in the bridge. I am pleased that we are able to respond to that demand with an extra day being set aside for pedestrian access so that more people from the local area, particularly young people, can enjoy this historic occasion.”

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, added:

“Scotland will celebrate a moment in history on 4 September as the Queensferry Crossing is officially opened by HM The Queen. At this unique moment, the country will become the world’s first destination to have three bridges spanning three centuries in one stunning location. It is a time to not only celebrate Scotland as a nation of pioneering innovation, design and engineering, but also give thanks all those who have worked tirelessly to create this unique new structure.

“People are fascinated worldwide by bridges, whether it’s for their beauty, grandeur or breath-taking engineering prowess. The addition of the Queensferry Crossing consolidates the Forth Bridges as global icons of Scotland and we look forward to showcasing all three awe-inspiring structures to the world for many years to come.”

 

 

The Queensferry Crossing in numbers:

23,000 miles of cables, almost enough to wrap around the earth’s equator

35,000 tonnes of steel, the equivalent of 80 Boeing 747s

207 metres in height above high tide – 50 metres taller than the Forth Road Bridge and 97 metres more than the rail bridge

The Queensferry Crossing Experience is a free public event to give 50,000 people the opportunity to walk across the bridge before it becomes a motorway.

Further details about the community day, and the local schools and groups involved, will be set out in due course.

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