The opening date for the Queensferry Crossing will hit the Scottish Government’s revised target by just two days, the Economy Secretary has confirmed.
Keith Brown revealed the replacement for the Forth Road Bridge will open to traffic on August 30,but it will only “transition to a motorway once the final public transport links to the north of the Forth Road Bridge are completed.”
Meanwhile, two “once in a lifetime” chances to walk across the structure taking place on September 2 and 3.
Mr Brown said: “What is being achieved on the Forth today, like what was achieved 53 years ago, is a testament to the expertise and the endeavour of those who have designed and built these bridges.
“I am very pleased to be able to confirm the Queensferry Crossing will open August 30, 2017. The bridge will be used by vehicles up to September 1, before closing to allow the public the chance to walk across it as part of the Queensferry Crossing Experience on September 2 and 3.
“This Queensferry Crossing Experience will allow for up to 50,000 people to have the once in a lifetime chance to walk across the Queensferry Crossing before it becomes a motorway with no pedestrian access.”
The bridge was originally due to open in December but bad weather had already delayed the completion date until May.
The opening was then delayed further, due to “adverse weather conditions”, with a target completion date set of between mid-July and the end of August.
The £1.35bn link will replace the Forth Road Bridge as the main road route between Edinburgh and Fife.
Michael Martin, project director for the consortium building the Queensferry Crossing, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) said: “The Queensferry Crossing is one of the world’s great bridges. It’s the largest bridge of its type and its fast track design and construction has presented many challenges.
“The safety of our workforce, who have worked relentlessly through the hostile weather conditions in the Forth estuary to deliver the earliest completion of this project, has always been our number one priority and it will continue to be so as move towards the completion of the project.”
