Motorway status date set for Forth crossing

Queensferry Crossing will become a motorway on February 1

The Queensferry Crossing will officially become a motorway from February 1, transport chiefs have confirmed.

Road orders to alter the route’s formal designation have now been approved, which means there will be changes to the type of vehicles that can use the new bridge over the Forth from a week on Thursday onwards.

Non-motorway traffic will no longer be allowed access to the Queensferry Crossing and will have to use the Forth Road Bridge as an alternative.

The measure will be the latest milestone in the £1.35 billion project and comes just a few weeks after the speed limit was increased from 50mph to 70mph following the completion of resurfacing work.

To assist road users’ understanding of the new road and bridge layouts, as well as the features of the Queens ferry Crossing, a guide has been produced – with 25,000 copies being distributed to various stakeholders and for display at libraries, petrol stations, bus and train stations and tourist information offices throughout east central Scotland.

Stein Connelly, Traffic Scotland operator manager, said: “With these changes coming at the start of February it is important that road users understand who is able to use the Queensferry Crossing and who should use the Forth Road Bridge in future.

“That’s why we are giving them advance notice to make sure they are informed ahead of time and are making the guide widely available in hard copy and online.

“The guide published today sets out what we mean by motorway traffic and what vehicles can use the Queensferry Crossing in future.

“It also sets out the vehicles that can use the Forth Road Bridge as an alternative route when crossing the Forth.

“While most road users will be completely unaffected by the move to motorway status, I would encourage those who regularly use the Forth bridges, or those who are planning to use the bridge for a journey to read the guide.”

A new 13.7 mile-long motorway corridor has been completed to support the bridge’s opening, extending from the M90 Halbeath junction over the Queensferry Crossing to the M9 north of the Newbridge junction.

The Forth Road Bridge has now been redesignated primarily for use by public transport.

Picture: PA. Non-motorway traffic will no longer be allowed access to the Queensferry Crossing and will have to use the Forth Road Bridge.