| Summary: |
‘Forth Road Crossing’ Scottish Parliament consultation, March 2010 (with the School of the Built and Natural Environment’s Martin Cullen) The proposed Forth Crossing Bill seeks to grant Scottish Ministers the necessary powers to construct a new cable stayed road bridge over the Firth of Forth, adjacent to the existing Forth Road Bridge, along with new and upgraded connecting roads and associated traffic management infrastructure. History of the Structure The Forth Road Bridge was opened in 1964. It is a long-span suspension bridge, carrying a two-lane dual carriageway plus cycle paths and footpaths. It is used by cars, buses, heavy lorries, cyclists and pedestrians to cross between North Queensferry in Fife and South Queensferry in West Lothian. Over 24 million vehicles now cross the Bridge each year. 1. The Forth Road Bridge has been an essential part of the national road infrastructure for over 45 years. It is vital to the economy of Fife, an essential link for the East Coast Corridor and crucial to the connectivity of Fife and beyond. 2. The historic importance of the structure to Scotland was recognised in 2001 when the Bridge was listed by Historic Scotland as a category A listed structure. 3. The main span of the Bridge measures over 1,000 metres between its two towers. Approach viaducts to the north and south bring the total length of the structure to just under 2,500 metres. The towers support the majority of the weight of the suspended span. The two main cables sit on saddles at the summit of the towers, which pass the load back down to the ground. Tension from the cables is transferred to the anchorage blocks. 4. Since the Bridge’s introduction, the towers have undergone multiple strengthening programmes, reflecting the increasing vehicle loads that the Bridge has been subjected to since its construction. |
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