Forth Road Bridge at 50: Torch bearers to pay £25

TORCH bearers taking part in next month’s 50th birthday party for the Forth Road Bridge will have to pay £25 each, organisers announced today.

The Forth Road Bridge will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. Picture: Greg Macvean

A total of 2,014 tickets for torch bearers, who will join a procession across the bridge on Saturday, 13 September to create a half-mile long “river of fire”, go on sale on Friday.

The event, which also includes a fireworks display, will be the finale to the Forth Bridges Festival, and also a “signature” event in the Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014.

The party in South Queensferry includes music from Big Country, and Bwani Junction, who performed last year at the top of one of the bridge’s 520ft (156m) high towers, along with a giant outdoor ceilidh - the “Forth Fling”.

Tickets for the party only cost £15. All tickets include booking fees of £1.50-£2 per ticket, and there will be 2,500 party-only tickets available.

The event is being staged by Unique Events, which runs Edinburgh’s Hogmany celebrations, and funded by Homecoming Scotland and Edinburgh and Fife councils.

The bridge will close to traffic for up to half an hour during the fireworks at10pm.

Lesley Hinds, convener of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which runs the bridge, said: “The torchlight procession and bridge party offers members of the public a chance to take part in what is sure to be remembered as a unique and historic event.”

Edinburgh Lord Provost Donald Wilson, said: “I am delighted Edinburgh will be hosting such a spectacular public celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge.

“The ancient burgh of Queensferry is a beautiful conservation town with a thriving community centre, and the bridge over the Firth of Forth will provide a truly unique setting for the torch procession and fireworks display.”

Councillor Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife, said: “The Forth Bridges Festival is a great celebration of these world famous icons which provide a magnificent gateway to Fife for visitors and locals alike.

“The Torchlight Procession will provide the perfect finale to the Festival, bringing 2,014 people across the bridge to Fife.”

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