60 Years of the Forth Road Bridge

A series of events will be held later this year to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge.

The iconic crossing opened to traffic for the first time on 4^th September 1964 and was, at the time, the longest suspension bridge in the world outside the USA.

There will be a number of public events held on the 4^th and 7^th of September this year to mark the milestone. These include:

• A ceremony with local school children and representatives to celebrate the bridge’s links with the community on Wed 4^th Sept.
• A fleet of vintage and electric buses will offer trips across the Forth Road Bridge on Sat 7^th Sept.
• A public exhibition on the history of the Forth Road Bridge and presentations on the future of the famous crossing from industry professionals on Wed 4^th Sept.
• 60 tours to the top of the towers, with a competition for members of the public to win places.

Details on how to get involved with the events will be announced in due course.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:

“The Forth Road Bridge has long been part of landscape along the River Forth and it is fitting that we mark its sixty years of service.

“This series of events will celebrate the iconic crossing’s close links with the local community, as well as the travelling public.

“While the Forth Road Bridge now plays a different role than it did sixty years ago, it still provides important resilience as a public transport corridor. I look forward to seeing it continue this important role for year to come.”

Operating company BEAR Scotland’s South East Bridges Manager David Bishop said:

“We’re delighted to be celebrating 60 years of the Forth Road Bridge.

“It had the fourth longest span in the world when it opened and is still one of the world’s most significant suspension bridges. In recent years it has been strengthened and refurbished to provide many more decades of service.

“The Forth Road Bridge is an engineering achievement that we can all take pride in and we look forward to welcoming the public this September.”