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| New Forth bridge is now Queensferry Crossing, as row over project rolls on | New Forth bridge is now Queensferry Crossing, as row over project rolls on |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| It's been the source of political and environmental controversy – rows over foreign steel, political egos and accelerating CO2 emissions from commuters – but now the fifth bridge across the Forth has a name: Queensferry Crossing. | |
| It is the safest and most obvious choice: the new bridge stradles the Firth of Forth alongside the villages of North Queensferry – home of the former prime minister Gordon Brown, and South Queensferry on the opposite shore. | It is the safest and most obvious choice: the new bridge stradles the Firth of Forth alongside the villages of North Queensferry – home of the former prime minister Gordon Brown, and South Queensferry on the opposite shore. |
| The new name was chosen by public ballot: 12,039 (35.5%) people chose it over the close second favourite Caledonia Bridge, which won 10.573 (31.2%) of the vote. | The new name was chosen by public ballot: 12,039 (35.5%) people chose it over the close second favourite Caledonia Bridge, which won 10.573 (31.2%) of the vote. |
| Winning an unofficial bronze, with 7,146 (21.1%) votes, was the more historically appropriate but arguably more obscure St Margaret's Crossing – a name which honours the 11th century queen who first introduced the eponymous ferry crossing connecting the northern and southern banks of the Forth. | Winning an unofficial bronze, with 7,146 (21.1%) votes, was the more historically appropriate but arguably more obscure St Margaret's Crossing – a name which honours the 11th century queen who first introduced the eponymous ferry crossing connecting the northern and southern banks of the Forth. |
| Queensferry Crossing, a 2.7km long cable-stayed bridge, is due to open in 2016 at a final cost of between £1.45bn and £1.6bn for the bridge itself and new road interchanges. It will run alongside the two best known bridges – the iconic 123-year-road iron Forth rail bridge, a world heritage site contender, and the more graceful Forth road bridge. | |
| There are two smaller but notable bridges upstream to the west, the neighbouring Clackmannanshire and Kincardine bridges, servicing local towns and traffic for the Longannet power station and Grangemouth refineries. | There are two smaller but notable bridges upstream to the west, the neighbouring Clackmannanshire and Kincardine bridges, servicing local towns and traffic for the Longannet power station and Grangemouth refineries. |
| Salmond is adamant the new crossing, originally estimated to cost as much as £2.3bn, is absolutely necessary. | Salmond is adamant the new crossing, originally estimated to cost as much as £2.3bn, is absolutely necessary. |
| The Forth bridge, now nearly 50 years old, is stretched beyond its capacity by modern traffic levels – it now takes 24m vehicles a year - and its cabling is too prone to corrosion from weather damage to risk an essential road link between Edinburgh, Fife and Tayside, and the north east, he insists. | The Forth bridge, now nearly 50 years old, is stretched beyond its capacity by modern traffic levels – it now takes 24m vehicles a year - and its cabling is too prone to corrosion from weather damage to risk an essential road link between Edinburgh, Fife and Tayside, and the north east, he insists. |
| The Scottish government said today: | The Scottish government said today: |
| Despite significant investment and maintenance since it opened in 1964, the current Forth road bridge is showing signs of significant deterioration and is no longer deemed viable as the long-term main crossing of the Firth of Forth. | Despite significant investment and maintenance since it opened in 1964, the current Forth road bridge is showing signs of significant deterioration and is no longer deemed viable as the long-term main crossing of the Firth of Forth. |
| It will mean both the Forth and Queensferry bridges can share road traffic and allow the Forth bridge to take buses, coaches and bikes instead (an early proposal for it to take light rail services seems dead). | It will mean both the Forth and Queensferry bridges can share road traffic and allow the Forth bridge to take buses, coaches and bikes instead (an early proposal for it to take light rail services seems dead). |
| It was Queen Margaret in the 11th Century who introduced a ferry to carry pilgrims across the Forth, giving the communities on either side of the Firth their name. The public's choice of 'Queensferry Crossing' reflects the area's rich history and the continuing link between the two communities on the estuary's north and south banks. | It was Queen Margaret in the 11th Century who introduced a ferry to carry pilgrims across the Forth, giving the communities on either side of the Firth their name. The public's choice of 'Queensferry Crossing' reflects the area's rich history and the continuing link between the two communities on the estuary's north and south banks. |
| [The] Queensferry Crossing is a bridge to the future; when complete in 2016, it will take its place alongside the other iconic bridges over the Forth estuary, while safeguarding and improving a vital connection in the country's transport network and playing a key role in Scotland's economic success. | [The] Queensferry Crossing is a bridge to the future; when complete in 2016, it will take its place alongside the other iconic bridges over the Forth estuary, while safeguarding and improving a vital connection in the country's transport network and playing a key role in Scotland's economic success. |
| Scottish Labour and the Tories were derisive when it emerged in early 2012 that much of the steel for the new bridge would come from China, Spain and Poland, rather than firms with Scottish connections such as Tata at Dalzell; by Christmas 2012, some diligent fixing produced a steel supply contract for Tata after all. | Scottish Labour and the Tories were derisive when it emerged in early 2012 that much of the steel for the new bridge would come from China, Spain and Poland, rather than firms with Scottish connections such as Tata at Dalzell; by Christmas 2012, some diligent fixing produced a steel supply contract for Tata after all. |
| For environmentalists, the Scottish Green party and many residents living under the third bridge, it is a bridge too far. | For environmentalists, the Scottish Green party and many residents living under the third bridge, it is a bridge too far. |
| They see it as emblematic of the Scottish government's focus on road-building (upgrading the M8 corridor and a new Aberdeen bypass are cited) and promoting motorists' interests rather than tackling Scotland's carbon emissions and heavily pushing sustainable, low carbon mass transport links. | They see it as emblematic of the Scottish government's focus on road-building (upgrading the M8 corridor and a new Aberdeen bypass are cited) and promoting motorists' interests rather than tackling Scotland's carbon emissions and heavily pushing sustainable, low carbon mass transport links. |
| Traffic levels on the current road bridge grew after Salmond scrapped bridge tolls; meanwhile, the Scottish government has twice failed to meet its legally binding annual CO2 emissions targets. The fact the Forth road bridge takes 24m vehicles a year is failure of policy-making, not a success, critics argue. | Traffic levels on the current road bridge grew after Salmond scrapped bridge tolls; meanwhile, the Scottish government has twice failed to meet its legally binding annual CO2 emissions targets. The fact the Forth road bridge takes 24m vehicles a year is failure of policy-making, not a success, critics argue. |
| Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie has frequently highlighted evidence that the Forth Estuary Transport authority's remedial work on the Forth road bridge's cables has halted and dealt with the dampness and corrosion which threatened their structural integrity. | Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie has frequently highlighted evidence that the Forth Estuary Transport authority's remedial work on the Forth road bridge's cables has halted and dealt with the dampness and corrosion which threatened their structural integrity. |
| The authority's chief engineer and bridge master, Barry Colford, reported in May that: | The authority's chief engineer and bridge master, Barry Colford, reported in May that: |
| Enough evidence [has] been gathered during this investigation to enable me to conclude that the anchorages on the southern bridgehead are in a satisfactory condition. Therefore, I have concluded that no further investigatory work is required. | Enough evidence [has] been gathered during this investigation to enable me to conclude that the anchorages on the southern bridgehead are in a satisfactory condition. Therefore, I have concluded that no further investigatory work is required. |
| [I] consider that from the information obtained during the investigation, the risk of having to replace the main cable anchorages during the remaining service life of the bridge is relatively low. | [I] consider that from the information obtained during the investigation, the risk of having to replace the main cable anchorages during the remaining service life of the bridge is relatively low. |
| That, Harvie insists, proves the current road bridge has many years of life left; the solution in his view is to cut car use, not promote it. Salmond jumped too fast to build the new crossing, before finding out whether it was truly needed. | That, Harvie insists, proves the current road bridge has many years of life left; the solution in his view is to cut car use, not promote it. Salmond jumped too fast to build the new crossing, before finding out whether it was truly needed. |
| Describing it as Salmond's folly on 3 May, Harvie said: | Describing it as Salmond's folly on 3 May, Harvie said: |
| It is now crystal clear that over a billion pounds of public funds were squandered on an ego-trip for ministers, with other parties simply following the herd. | It is now crystal clear that over a billion pounds of public funds were squandered on an ego-trip for ministers, with other parties simply following the herd. |
| [Back] in February we challenged the first minister to explain what would prevent future governments going back on his pledge that the existing road bridge would only be used for buses and bikes but he failed to do so. The government should accept its reasoning was flawed and explain how it intends to prevent such situations from happening again. | [Back] in February we challenged the first minister to explain what would prevent future governments going back on his pledge that the existing road bridge would only be used for buses and bikes but he failed to do so. The government should accept its reasoning was flawed and explain how it intends to prevent such situations from happening again. |
| Reacting the naming announcement, he added: | Reacting the naming announcement, he added: |
| The maintenance and running costs after the billions spent on construction are estimated at £18m a year, which is roughly what the Government spends on active travel across the whole country. The attempt to manufacture excitement about a choice of uninspiring names is just a distraction from the endless list of flawed transport policies pursued by current and previous governments. | The maintenance and running costs after the billions spent on construction are estimated at £18m a year, which is roughly what the Government spends on active travel across the whole country. The attempt to manufacture excitement about a choice of uninspiring names is just a distraction from the endless list of flawed transport policies pursued by current and previous governments. |
| Tony Martin, FETA's convenor, said earlier this year that in the authority's view, halting the corrosion does not change the central case for a third crossing there: | Tony Martin, FETA's convenor, said earlier this year that in the authority's view, halting the corrosion does not change the central case for a third crossing there: |
| As far as FETA is concerned nothing has changed with respect to the need for the new bridge. There have always been many reasons why a new crossing is required and the issue of corrosion only ever added urgency. | As far as FETA is concerned nothing has changed with respect to the need for the new bridge. There have always been many reasons why a new crossing is required and the issue of corrosion only ever added urgency. |
| [We] all want to see priority for public transport, but there is now nothing to prevent the [Forth road bridge] also accommodating non-motorway traffic such as agricultural vehicles and learner drivers, as well as abnormal loads that cause delays to regular traffic. | [We] all want to see priority for public transport, but there is now nothing to prevent the [Forth road bridge] also accommodating non-motorway traffic such as agricultural vehicles and learner drivers, as well as abnormal loads that cause delays to regular traffic. |
| The final shortlist of five names is a defeat for many of the more sarcastic names from the 7,600 suggestions originally submitted, including calling it Kevin, in honour of the Glaswegian comedian Kevin Bridges. | The final shortlist of five names is a defeat for many of the more sarcastic names from the 7,600 suggestions originally submitted, including calling it Kevin, in honour of the Glaswegian comedian Kevin Bridges. |
| The two least popular options on the final shortleet won modest support: Saltire Crossing got 2,046 (6%) while Firth of Forth Crossing 2,087 (6.2%). | The two least popular options on the final shortleet won modest support: Saltire Crossing got 2,046 (6%) while Firth of Forth Crossing 2,087 (6.2%). |
| The voting panel was Roy Brannen from Transport Scotland, Hamira Khan from the Scottish Youth Parliament, Keith Giblett of Queensferry and District community council, Jan Short from North Queensferry community council. Alan Simpson of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Ian Walford from Historic Scotland and John Yorkston from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce. | The voting panel was Roy Brannen from Transport Scotland, Hamira Khan from the Scottish Youth Parliament, Keith Giblett of Queensferry and District community council, Jan Short from North Queensferry community council. Alan Simpson of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Ian Walford from Historic Scotland and John Yorkston from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce. |
| • This article was amended to clarify that the Queensferry Crossing will be a cable-stayed bridge, not a suspension bridge. | |
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