There are five bridges across the river Forth. The first bridge across the Forth is the Forth Rail Bridge which was opened in 1890. The second Forth Bridge was opened in 1936 between Falkirk and Kincardine and is called the Kincardine Bridge.

The third bridge across the Forth was opened in 1964 next to the first Forth Bridge, which is the Forth Rail Bridge, and this Forth Bridge was called the Forth Road Bridge.

The Forth Rail Bridge is properly called the “Forth Bridge” however there are now five “Forth” Bridges so the expression “Forth Bridge” could be any of them which is why the first Forth Bridge is commonly called the Forth Rail Bridge.

In 2008 a fourth bridge was opened next to the second Forth Bridge (which is the Kincardine bridge) and this fourth bridge is known as the Clackmannanshire Bridge.

In 2017 a fifth Forth bridge was opened next to the first and third bridges, which are the Forth Rail Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, to replace the Forth Road Bridge which is falling down.

So, in summary, there are five Forth Bridges. The first Forth Bridge is a rail bridge that is right next to the third Forth Bridge which is a road bridge.

The first rail bridge is officially named the “Forth Bridge” and the third Forth Bridge, which is the road bridge, is supposed to be called the “Forth Road Bridge”. However, drivers refer to the Forth Road Bridge as simply the Forth Bridge, and the first Forth Bridge has become known as the Forth Rail Bridge because road users cannot drive over the rail bridge so there is little use for it on a road sign anyway.

To avoid confusion with the Forth Rail Bridge the road signs for the Forth Road Bridge which everyone calls the “Forth Bridge” are labelled FRB.

So, in summary, the second and fourth Forth Bridges are next to each other downstream, and there is another Forth Bridge next to the original first and third Forth Bridges, which is the fifth Forth Bridge and is called the Queensferry Crossing. It is the only Forth Bridge not to be called a bridge.

If you are driving, there will therefore be four bridges across the river Forth, of which only three are actually signposted as “bridges”, and one of those you can’t use because the one that is falling down is not open to private vehicles.

There are no road signs for the Queensferry Crossing. If you want the Queensferry Crossing, follow the road signs for the Forth Bridge.

It is expected that this will avoid all confusion.

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