By Lars Niven

JUST MOMENTS after watching First Minister Alex Salmond declare the Clackmannanshire Bridge open, Fife councillor Willie Ferguson summed it up best when he said, “It’s been a long time coming.”

Mr Ferguson, who represents Kincardine and the coastal villages, played a key role along with fellow councillors from Fife and Clackmannanshire in the campaign to have the bridge built.

It is a campaign that lasted for the best part of two decades, and a project that Mr Ferguson admitted yesterday he feared on occasion he might never see come to fruition.

As Mr Salmond led a convoy south across the bridge, the Fife councillor told The Courier, “I’m over the moon.

“It’s been a long time coming, 20-odd years or so.”

He said the campaign had had its highs and lows, with a number of false starts and the deaths of Councillor Barbara Stocks and Dunfermline and West Fife MP Rachel Squire.

They both played leading roles in the campaign and Mr Ferguson said Mrs Stocks and Ms Squire, along with others, were in his thoughts.

“I’m really proud to be here today,” he said.

“It is one of the main reasons I stood as a councillor.”

He insisted it was a major day for the people of Kincardine, whose streets leading to the old Kincardine Bridge were so congested pollution in the village was at times worse than central London.

“The quality of life for the people of Kincardine will change forever,” he said, adding that with less congestion he hoped more people would stop in the village.

The bridge, built at a cost of £120 million, should also provide a major shot in the arm for the Clackmannanshire economy.

It was built in just two years with the decking pushed out over the river on to supports driven into the riverbed.

It is the second largest bridge of its kind in the world.

The project includes an extensive network of new roads, cycleways and footpaths.

Approximately 20,000 vehicles are expected to use the bridge each day, with traffic on the Kincardine Bridge reduced from about 30,100 vehicles a day to approximately 18,100.

Mr Salmond said, “Transport is a fundamental part of the Scottish Government’s drive to encourage sustainable economic growth.

“This is a world-class infrastructure project which will cut journey times, improve central Scotland connections and provide a unique gateway to Clackmannanshire, Fife and Falkirk.

“Better, safer and faster transport links are key to our work to drive tourism.”

He added, “For local communities the Clackmannanshire Bridge will deliver not only visitors but safer roads and environmental benefits.

“It will remove the long-standing congestion from the centre of Kincardine, encourage safe cycling, whilst benefiting local businesses.”

Fife Council has also welcomed the opening of the bridge.

Councillor Tony Martin, environment, enterprise and transport chairman, said, “The new bridge heralds a new era for the people that fought long and hard to improve their local environment.

“But as well as local benefits for road safety and freeing up roads from congestion, Fife looks forward to the economic benefits that improved access will bring.”

Not everyone is entirely happy with the impact the new bridge could have.

Villagers in Kinross-shire have expressed concerns about potential increases in traffic.

They have submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament to call for the A977 between Kincardine and Kinross to be redesigned to make it less attractive to lorry drivers.

The signatures have come from villages such as Blairingone, Powmill, Crook of Devon, Drum and Balado.