New Forth Bridge - News

Type: cable-stayed bridge
Budget: £3.2 - 4.2bn

Designers: Jacobs / Arup Joint Venture
with Dissing + Weitling and Flint & Neill Partnership and EC Harris

Who are these companies and what have they done?

Jacobs
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., American company set up in 1947, one of the world’s largest companies involved in many sectors from refining to aerospace
Relevant projects: Seismic Retrofit of 14 Seattle Bridges

Arup
Set up in 1946
Well known engineering company set up originally by Danish engineer Ove Arup
Key projects: Coventry Cathedral; Sydney Opera House; Pompidou, Paris; Beijing Airport, China; Stonecutters Bridge, Hong Kong; Stansted Airport; Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Relevant project: Oresund link (joining Denmark & Sweden)

Dissing + Weitling
Danish architects who in 1971 continued the famous Arne Jacobsen’s office under a new name
Involved in the latest Glasgow bridge proposal following Richard Rogers departure
Relevant projects: Great Belt Bridge, Denmark; Poole Harbour Bridge, England; Stonecutters Bridge, Hong Kong

Flint & Neill Partnership - consulting civil and structural engineers
London engineers; Consultancy work on the Forth Road Bridge
Key projects: Structural Assesment of Heathrow Terminal 5 roof
Relevant projects: Structural Assesment of Usk River Bridge, Wales

EC Harris
Cost Consultants



New Forth Bridge architects : Dissing + Weitling


Forth Road Bridge: image© adrian welch

New Forth Bridge - News

Dec 2007 Update:
The Forth Replacement Crossing is to be a cable-stayed bridge upstream of the existing road bridge. The option agreed by Ministers will be delivered in the quickest possible timescale and at the lowest cost. It will also improve transport connections and reduce the CO2 emissions generated by the current crossing.

Engineers + Architects:

Arup are to lead the project with Jacob. Assistance from Danish architects Dissing + Weitling, who are already working on Glasgow's new bridge at the Broomielaw: more details online soon

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney said: "A modern, efficient transport network is vital to a thriving, prosperous economy.

"Concerns over the future viability of the existing bridge mean that we need to act now to protect the future of cross-Forth travel for generations to come. A Forth Replacement Crossing is essential. The decision to proceed with plans for a cable stayed bridge has not been taken lightly. We have considered in detail the arguments for all the options.

"A cable stay bridge has lower overall risk and can be used by all types of traffic, including freight, pedestrians and cyclists and is considerably cheaper to deliver. It also provides for a more affordable dedicated public transport corridor to allow use by buses, light rail or trams.

"This decision on the FRC sits well with our strategic objectives to make Scotland, greener, wealthier and fairer. It supports our objectives of becoming a global leader in our response to climate change and safeguarding our natural and built heritage.

"We are supporting commuters, supporting business and protecting the environment. This crossing will ensure that we continue to provide and effective transport network and achieve that goal."



Sep 2007 Update:
A Parliamentary motion calling for a new Forth crossing that can include light rail has won support from Scottish business groups.

The motion, tabled by John Park, Labour list MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, criticises the Transport Scotland public exhibition of Forth Crossing options for giving insufficient consideration to all types of transport.

Aug 2007 Update:
Public information exhibition on proposals for replacement Forth crossing open at North Queensferry and Edinburgh + other locations in Fife, Tayside & Lothians over next few weeks. Two final options shortlisted: bridge or tunnel to west of existing Forth Road Bridge.

According to a survey the tunnel is clear favourite but the cheaper suspension bridge is apparently recommended by Transport Scotland: www.forthreplacementcrossing.info. Last exhibitions dates listed are on 31 Aug in Dunfermline & Uphall.

Jul 2007 Update:
The new Toll is to be demolished after only 1 year in existence, reportedly around Dec 2007: money wasted in conception, building and demolition.

Background:
Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) presented the results of a feasibility study in Jun 2004 for a 2.2km long second Forth Road Bridge. News items re the New Forth Road Bridge can be found at: www.forthbridges.org.uk/news.htm.


New Forth Road Bridge: image courtesy of forthbridges.org.uk

Jan 2006 Update:
News in the last week suggests a third crossing is looking more likely, though a campaign is ongoing: if a new bridge is set in motion it is extremely important for Scotland's reputation that an outstanding design be realised, ie no PFI fudge or major contractor-design elements: Forth Road Bridge

Apr 2005 Update: The FETA Convener is reported to be still supportive of the second Forth Crossing despite the ForthRight Alliance - Cockburn Association, Friends of the Earth Scotland and TRANSform Scotland - campaign against it in favour of stronger rail links: more soon. FETA's inclusion of a second Forth Road Bridge option in its transport strategy encouraged groups who successfully opposed a new Forth Road Bridge proposal around ten years ago reform.


Forth Road Bridge + Forth Rail Bridge: image© adrian welch

Aug 2005 Update:

New Forth Bridge
Now that FETA's board appear to have accepted the need for a new Forth Bridge it is surely time an international competition is arranged in order that an excellent design is achieved.


Forth Road Bridge: image © adrian welch
With the world-famous Forth Rail Bridge close by it is surely one of the most important engineering and architecture challenges of the next decade for Scotland, unless there's a surprise and plans for a third crossing are shelved.
Whether the process is like the many recent bridge competitions in England, such as for Maidstone or Poole, or like the Oresund Link where Denmark's Georg Rotne was selected is worthy of debate. Please mail us any views to info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk. Friends of the Earth oppose the proposal. So far pairs of cranked, straight and inverted V-shaped suspension towers have been proposed. See news item for 18.04.05


Forth Road Bridge: image© adrian welch

Forth Road Bridge : Toll Canopy


images by adrian welch



Scottish Architecture

New Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Estuary Transport Authority presented the results of a feasibility study in Jun 2004 for a second Forth Road Bridge. The proposed structure would be 2.2km long with 185m high towers and support a central span of 1375m making it the world's sixth longest bridge span.

Edinburgh : back to index

Forth Rail Bridge

Comments / photos for the New Forth Road Bridge page welcome:
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk

New Forth Crossing : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt