Queensferry Crossing lit up hours ahead of opening

The Queensferry Crossing - a new £1.35 billion bridge connecting Edinburgh and Fife - has been lit up hours ahead of its official opening.

Road users will be able to use the crossing from Wednesday, but not before it was illuminated by lights in a show to mark its symbolic handover to the Scottish Government.

Queensferry will help to relieve pressure on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB), opened in 1964 and which has come under increasing structural strain.

The crossing is set to serve around 24 million vehicles each year, while the FRB is to be used for buses, taxis and bikes.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took part in a procession of vintage, modern and electric vehicles across the new bridge and thanked workers for their efforts as she switched on the lights on Monday night.

The bridge was plunged into darkness before the procession of around 20 vehicles carrying made its way across.

After a short speech under the bridge's north tower, Ms Sturgeon started the light display to mark the handover.

She told workers: "I can't tell you how emotional it feels to be standing on this stunning Queensferry Crossing.

"It is here to do a job and keep our country connected but it is much more than that.

"This bridge will be one of the greatest bridges in the world, no scrub that, this bridge is the greatest bridge in the world."

Construction began on the new crossing in 2011, with numerous records and milestones marked along the way.

The 1.7-mile crossing has been "designed for maintenance" to ensure it runs smoothly for decades.

About 1,000 sensors have been fitted to give advanced warning of any problems, allowing maintenance teams to pre-empt potential issues.

It has a design life of 120 years but could last longer, with the cable-stayed structure chosen because of its easier maintenance.

Some 15,000 workers were involved with the building project.