Forth Crossing Bill

# Forth Crossing Bill Synopsis The Forth Crossing Bill sought to authorise the construction of a new bridge across the Firth of Forth between South Queensferry in West Lothian and North Queensferry in Fife. The project responded to growing concerns about traffic congestion and safety risks on the existing Forth Road Bridge, which opened in 1964 and had become increasingly strained by modern traffic volumes. The new crossing was intended to ease congestion, improve journey times, and provide redundancy for this critical transport link connecting central Scotland with the north. As a hybrid bill, the legislation combined general provisions affecting the public with special provisions affecting particular interests. The bill established the powers necessary to construct and operate the new bridge, including compulsory purchase orders for required land, environmental protections, and toll charging arrangements. Key provisions addressed design specifications, construction timescales, and operational management of the crossing. The bill received Royal Assent in 2011 and the new Forth Bridge (officially the Queensferry Crossing) subsequently opened to traffic in 2017, becoming Scotland's longest bridge and a major strategic infrastructure improvement.

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