New Govan-Partick Bridge Opens

GLASGOW. Riverside Museum entrance, 100 Pointhouse Place, Glasgow G3 8RS

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Kirsty McNeil, Tom Arthur, Scottish Government Minister for Employment and Investment, and Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council at the opening of the new bridge.

The formal opening of the Govan-Partick Bridge sees Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, Tom Arthur, Scottish Government Minister for Employment and Investment, and UK Government Minister for Scotland, Kirsty McNeil, joined by two pupils from each of the local Notre Dame and Riverside primary schools. Emily MacLennan (cardigan), Jak Smith (blue), Erin Orr and Murdo MacLeod.

The Govan - Partick Bridge, a £29.5million Glasgow City Region City Deal project - funded by the Scottish and UK Governments - will re-establish the historic connection between Govan and Partick, with the bridge crossing between Water Row on the south side and Pointhouse Quay on the north.

The bridge is significant economically, environmentally and socially through the link it will provide not only between communities, but also a number of visitor attractions and institutions of national economic importance. The crossing is also a central part of the active travel route between the University of Glasgow’s campus at Gilmorehill and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

This is one of the longest opening pedestrian/cycle bridges in Europe, with a width of six metres and two spans - the moving span, which weighs 650 tonnes, is 99 metres long and uses the South Pier (at Water Row) as its access; and the fixed span, which weighs 45 tonnes and is 15.7 metres long.

Following the formal opening of the bridge, the bridge will open to the public on the morning of 7 September and there will be celebratory community events on both banks of the Clyde that weekend - the Clydebuilt Festival will take place on the north bank on 7 and 8 September beside the Riverside Museum, with the Footbridge Festival on the south bank at Water Row, Govan Cross and Govan Road, on 7 September.

The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both the Scottish and UK Governments each provide £500million of funding for infrastructure projects.