Doors Open Day Success

The first ever Doors Open Day event at the Queensferry Crossing has been hailed as a success, with 18 groups of visitors given guided tours inside the deck of the bridge and over £2,100 raised for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.

A public ballot for spaces on the tours had attracted huge interest, with over 28,000 applications for 180 spaces. The lucky winners were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at parts of the bridge normally closed to the public, including the interior of the box girder deck and the central reservation where the bridge’s cable stays are anchored. The tours were led by experienced engineers from BEAR Scotland, Transport Scotland’s operating company.

The Forth Bridges Contact & Education Centre was also open to the public, featuring panoramic views, an exhibition about the bridges, educational activities for children, bridge and CHSS merchandise and a Scottish Roads Archive stand.

Everyone who attended had the chance to enter a charity raffle for one of five trips for two to the top of the Queensferry Crossing’s main towers. Winners will be drawn early this week.

David Bishop, BEAR Scotland’s South East Bridges Manager, said: “We’ve really enjoyed showing members of the public the Queensferry Crossing and sharing our passion for the work we do.

“These tours have given people an unprecedented chance to see the bridge up close in areas normally inaccessible to the public, and to learn from our dedicated team of engineers who manage and maintain this iconic structure.

“This was the first time we’ve held such an event at the Queensferry Crossing, but it certainly won’t be the last. We look forward to building on this experience and hopefully offering similar opportunities to many more visitors in future.

“I’m also delighted that we were able to raise a significant sum of money for a great cause in Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.”