Image caption The completed crossing will link the city's Central Station to the Forth and Clyde Canal through Kelvingrove Park

A bridge over Glasgow's M8 which has been left unfinished since the 1970s has finally been completed.

The infamous 'Bridge to Nowhere' was left hanging in mid-air for decades after the shopping centre that it was meant to link to failed to materialise.

The crossing, now called the Anderston Footbridge, is being opened by the transport minister as a route over the M8 for cyclists and pedestrians.

Big Lottery Fund cash was used to complete the project.

It will link the city's Central Station to the Forth and Clyde Canal through Kelvingrove Park.

One of the project's backers, the sustainable transport charity Sustrans, hopes the crossing will now be known as the 'Bridge to Everywhere'.

Image caption The bridge was left hanging in mid-air for decades after the shopping centre that it was meant to link to failed to materialise

John Lauder, Sustrans national director, said: "For a long time the Anderston area has been quite cut off from the city centre but thanks to the opening of the Bridge to Everywhere this is no longer the case.

"People will now be able to commute to work, travel to school, go into town and visit friends and family on foot or by bike by using the bridge and the wider network of paths which link to it.

"We believe that the bridge will be extremely popular and well used in the years to come."

'Interesting engineering'

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "After more than 40 years as the Bridge to Nowhere, it is brilliant news that this infamous landmark has finally been completed and will serve as a vital link in Glasgow's network of walking and cycling routes.

"Importantly, it also provides a safe route for the community of Anderston to access the city centre and it will form part of the legacy from the Commonwealth Games.

"Road safety considerations are a barrier for many people who might be considering cycling for everyday travel, however this new route will help remove that barrier and I hope to see cycling increase in this part of Glasgow in the coming months."

The managing director of the company which finished the bridge said it was an honour to complete the missing link.

Stephen Scott, of Raynesway Construction, said: "It was an interesting engineering project, operating in a tight city environment and working in an enclosed gantry over the M8 while it remained open."