50,000 people will be allowed to walk over Queensferry Crossing in opening event

MEMBERS of the public will be given a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to walk across the new Queensferry Crossing later this summer.

The bridge, which will open to vehicles on Wednesday August 30, will briefly be closed off on September 2 and 3 to allow 50,000 people to traverse the 1.7 miles between each side.

Once final transport links have been completed, the bridge will become a motorway with no pedestrian access.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: “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.

“In order to manage access to the bridge there will be a ballot to decide who will have this unique opportunity to be one of the 50,000 people. I would encourage as many people as possible to enter and take part.”

In pics: Queensferry Crossing lights up the Forth

The ballot is open from now until 12pm on Wednesday July 17 at www.queensferrycrossingexperience.com.

The bridge had been due to open last December but, as reported in the Sunday Post, poor weather forced the date to be revised.

Michael Martin, project director for the consortium building the crossing, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors, 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.”