History of the Forth Road Bridge

Forth Road Bridge was once the world's 4th biggest suspension crossing.

Published 4th Dec 2015

Before the Forth Road Bridge opened more than 50 years ago, cars travelling between Edinburgh and Fife would cross on a ferry.

When the bridge opened in 1964 after six years of construction, it was the fourth biggest suspension bridge in the world and the longest outside America, stretching more than 1km.

The Queen officially opened the bridge at a ceremony attended by thousands of people and there was a 21-gun salute fired by Royal Navy ships in the estuary.

Construction of the bridge and surrounding roads cost £19.5 million, which was raised in toll fares by bridge users by 1993.

Bridge tolls were abolished in 2008, with the Scottish Government taking over the funding on the A-listed structure.

Now carrying tens of thousands of vehicles every day, legislation was brought forward five years ago in the Scottish Parliament paving the way for the construction of a replacement crossing following concerns over the strength of the cables used in the ageing bridge.

The new Queensferry Crossing, due to be completed by the end of next year, will carry road traffic, with the Forth Road Bridge becoming dedicated to public transport.

Officials say the new 2.5km structure over the Forth will be the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world.