Road users are being given advance notice the Queensferry Crossing will become a designated motorway from 1 February 2018.

The road orders have been approved for the Queensferry Crossing for it to officially become a motorway. This means there are changes to the type of vehicles that can use the new bridge, with non-motorway traffic no longer allowed access to the Queensferry Crossing, and using the Forth Road Bridge as an alternative.

To assist road users understanding of the new road and bridge layouts, as well as the features of the Queensferry Crossing, a guide has been published today and is available here.

25,000 copies of the guide have been produced and are being distributed to stakeholders. The guide is also being sent for display at libraries, petrol stations, bus & train stations and tourist information offices and along the Forth corridor and across the east central Scotland region. In addition, the guide has also been published online and is being promoted via social media.

Traffic Scotland Operator Manager, Stein Connelly 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 and plan their journeys.”