A ballot to give 50,000 people the chance to walk across the new Queensferry Crossing was “inefficient”, it has been claimed.
An online petition has been started calling for anybody to be allowed to walk across the new bridge after almost a quarter of a million people entered the draw.
Christine Dewar of Markinch said the planned September 2/3 open period should be extended by several days, giving everybody in the neighbouring communities the chance to see the £1.35 billion structure up close.
Organisers of the ballot have confirmed that 51% of those who applied for tickets came from communities neighbouring the crossing, but Mrs Dewar says that this is unfair on those who were unsuccessful.
In a statement on the website change.org, she says: “We are concerned about the ballot process currently being used to decide on the people chosen to walk over the new Queensferry Crossing.
“The Scottish Government has spent a huge amount of funds on this and it seems fair that the population, particularly of Fife and the Lothians, should have an open opportunity to walk over this beautiful structure to view these bridges.
“While the ballot seems to be fair it doesn’t seem to be working efficiently given how the selection is being made.
“We are campaigning for the government to extend the walkover period to at least 4 or 5 full days to allow freedom to walk.”
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/politics/452661/queensferry-crossing-to-open-to-vehicles-on-august-30/
The petition has attracted scores of comments from people who agree that those who have had to deal with years of disruption should be given the chance to walk the bridge.
One Dunfermline man posted: “Those who have had to endure the delays and disruption should have had a greater chance to have this once in a lifetime experience.
“We know of very few people who live locally who have been successful in the ballot and a good many who have been unsuccessful (our family included).”
Rosyth man Stuary Blackadder added: “I’ve watched this amazing piece of structural engineering growing from day one and feel local residents should have the opportunity to walk across this amazing bridge.”
The bridge will initially open to traffic on August 30 before it closes on September 2 and 3 to give successful entrants to the ballot the chance to walk across it.
The petition can be found at www.change.org/p/nicola-sturgeon-walk-the-queensferry-crossing.
