What is your suggestion for the name to be given to the new bridge over the River Forth? Latest suggestions are as follows:- The Deep Red Sky Bridge, The Firth of Forth Bridge, The Highland Highway, The Fifth Forth Bridge, The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, The Saltire Link, The Adam Smith Bridge, Scotia Gateway and The Independence Bridge.

The search is on to find the name for Scotland’s newest iconic landmark – and you can have your say.

Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, today launched a new campaign to find the future, permanent name for the Forth Replacement Crossing – Scotland’s biggest infrastructure project in a generation.

Members of the public can play their part by submitting their own suggestions before the end of January, 2013. An independent panel will then create a shortlist which will be open to a final public vote before the name is announced in the Summer of 2013.

Speaking at the introductory meeting of the new panel in Rosyth today, Mr Brown said:

“The Forth Replacement Crossing, as it is currently known, is an exciting, iconic and economically vital project that we want the people of Scotland to take pride in.

“We fully recognise that finding an appropriate name for the new bridge is a matter of considerable interest both locally and nationally.

“It is absolutely right then that the people of Scotland have the final say on the identity of this historic project.

“Along with members of the independent panel, we look forward to seeing the many creative and inspiring names the Scottish people submit.”

An advisory panel of independent civic, business and community representatives from across Scotland will consider all submissions. The panel, which meets today for the first time, will then shortlist names for a public vote in 2013 to decide the permanent name given to the bridge when it opens in 2016.

Hamira Khan, chief executive of the Scottish Youth Parliament, is one of the panel members. She said:

“The Scottish Youth Parliament are delighted to be part of the new Forth Bridge Advisory Panel.  It’s only right for the next generation of young Scots to provide their input as they’ll be the ones travelling across the bridge for years to come.

“We look forward to ensuring the views of young people are taken into account during this process so the new name truly reflects the wishes of the people of Scotland.”

Her colleague on the panel, Jan Short from North Queensferry Community Council, added:

“The building of this bridge is an historic event in the life of a village which is already steeped in history. The new bridge is very significant to the village of North Queensferry in many ways and it is important that we are represented on the Bridge naming Advisory Panel.”

Alan Simpson, chief executive of the Institution of Civil Engineers Scotland and also a panel member, said:

“The ICE welcomes the opportunity to be involved in the selection of a name for such an important new bridge that sits alongside two internationally famous bridges. All of them will demonstrate to the world the skills and expertise of Scottish engineers.

“I hope that the excitement generated during the construction of the new Forth Crossing will inspire the next generation to become engineers in the same way as the construction of the Forth Road Bridge inspired me.”

Edinburgh West MP, Mike Crockart, and Thomas Docherty MP for Dunfermline and West Fife have also welcomed the news that the public will get to name the new bridge.

The MPs who represent the residents most affected by construction on both sides of the Forth have written to Scotland’s Transport Minister, Keith Brown, to make the case for local representation on the panel.

Commenting on the news, Mike Crockart whose Edinburgh West constituency includes South Queensferry said:

“I am very pleased that the public will get to name the latest bridge to span the Forth.

“This is a historic project for Scotland, but for locals and their families it is an opportunity to celebrate South Queensferry’s link with the Forth and the previous generations who gave so much to build the iconic rail bridge.

 “The construction impact on residents of local communities should not be underestimated or forgotten. Many of them have already fought hard to see improvements to the scheme’s design, and it would be an insult if they did not now get to put their ideas for a name forward.

“It is crucial that these local views are represented on the panel and given full and proper consideration.”

Thomas Docherty MP for Dunfermline and West Fife added:

“This is Scotland’s largest infrastructure project in a generation so I understand the need for national buy-in on the name. But it is those families and businesses living very close to the construction who are facing short term disruption.

“Knowing how much this project is affecting locals on both sides of the Forth, I am determined to ensure that their views on the name of the crossing are heard loud and clear by the Minister.

“Mike and I have previously made the case for naming the crossing “The Queensferry Bridge” in recognition of the communities on both the north and south sides, but I am sure that local residents will have their own ideas about what will make a fitting tribute.”

The public can register their suggestions online at ‘www.namethebridge.co.uk‘ or by calling 0845 259 1113, or by writing to: Forth Replacement Crossing Contact & Education Centre, Forth Road Bridge, South Queensferry, Edinburgh, EH30 9SF.

Website users can also see if their preferred name has already been contributed, as well as viewing a selection of recent name suggestions.

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Phyllis Stephen
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.

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47 COMMENTS

  1. I would like to see the newFORTH CROSSING named after the GREAT MICHEAL. the GREATEST sailing ship built .sailed the fort h with its CORVETTS keeping scottish water free . built at NEWHAVEN @ BURIED in FIFE.

  6. I would like to suggest Sir William Arrol as the name for the new forth bridge in recognition of his exceptional contribution to Victorian engineering, bridge building and gantry & crane construction.

    William Arrol, the son of a Cotton-spinner, was born in Renfrewshire in 1839. He began work in a cotton mill at the age of ten before training as a blacksmith. Arrol taught himself mechanics and hydraulics at night school and by the age of twenty nine decided to start his own engineering business in Glasgow.
    His many achievements include The Caledonian Railway Bridge, The Forth Rail Bridge, The Tay Bridge, The London Tower Bridge, The Nile Bridge, Egypt, The Titanic Cradle and the founding of the Arrol-Johnstone motor car company. An ingenious and naturally gifted engineer his technique was to build the bridge on land and then roll it out span by span. Arrol also is credited for many inventions that advanced engineering including the mechanical drill and hydraulic riveter

    By the time of his death his Dalmarnock premises were said to be the UK’s largest girder construction works, occupying over 20 acres and employing between 4000 and 5000 men. Not bad for a boy of humble stock and little schooling who started out making bobbins in cotton mill

  12. The bridge is roughly on the site where Queen Margaret initiated the Forth ferry crossing in the eleventh century, so I believe it should be named The Queen Margaret Bridge in her honour.She virtually introduced Scotland to Europe at this time and it has enjoyed a place in Europe since then. I would not like it to be sycophantically called after any of today’s royalty and I do feel the fame of some of today’s celebrities is too transient for them to be remembered on so important a site

  17. Suggest the third bridge be called “The Kingdom Bridge”. Because it will run from the Capital of Scotland to the Kingdom of Fife and beyond.

  22. The new bridge on the River Firth of Forth should be named as Queen Margaret Bridge after Queen Margaret who initiated Ferry crossings over the Firth of Forth in the 11c she was ahead of her time introducing Scotland to Europe & the world its about time she was remembered in a more significant way.

  24. I would like to see the new crossing named the King James Crossing for geting the free fishermen of newhaven to build the Great Michael

  26. Certainly nothing to do with the Royals ….or even Commonwealth – something more Scottish is better. As a Fifer I like Kingdom but maybe not fair to the other side. Lots of good suggestions. Like St Andrews, Queensferry & the humour in Third Forth Bridge!
    How about Brig o’Forth? Bit of Scttish dialect and reminiscent of Brig o’ Doon & Rabbie?

  29. Alternatively, how about ‘James Watt Bridge’…after the great 18th century Scottish engineer who was one of the main architects of the Industrial Revolution.

  31. THE FIFTH BRIDGE
    After Forth/Fourth comes Fifth
    And it IS the 5th bridge over the estuary
    It’s simple and it shows a little humor
    John Taylor

  38. THE HOLLYROOD BRIDGE

    Holyrood (/ˈhɒliˌruːd/; Scots: Halyruid)[1] is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lying east of the city centre, at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood was once in the separate burgh of Canongate before the expansion of Edinburgh in 1856. It had several breweries and a flint glassworks in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The westerly parts of Holyrood, excluding Holyrood Park, are roughly synonymous with the Canongate and Dumbiedykes areas.

  40. Princess Margaret came to Scotland just after the Norman Conquest, married King Duncan and civilised the Scottish Court. She instituted the ferry across the River Forth for pilgrims on their way to St Andrews and spent a great deal of her time looking after the poor. She later became Saint Margaret and is the co-patron of Scotland along with Saint Andrew yet we hardly hear a mention of the lady. I think we should call the new bridge ‘Saint Margaret’s Bridge’.

  46. The Dolphin Bridge
    It will leap across the Firth of Forth like a dolphin,
    just like the dolphins below.

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