About

The 2020 Queensferry Crossing Closure (referred to as Bridgegate by some) refers to a controversy surrounding the closure of the Queensferry Crossing in Scotland in February 2020 due to falling ice which prompted an attack on the Scottish National Party (SNP) by the media and Scottish unionists.

The controversy was branded by some as 'childish' and 'ridiculous' as some blamed the SNP for the weather conditions which prompted the closure of the bridge.

Origin

On February 8th, 2020, the Queensferry Crossing, the largest bridge in the United Kingdom, based in Scotland, was closed due to falling ice on cars and other vehicles during Storm Ciara which affected all parts of the United Kingdom.

The bridge reopened on February 13th, 2020 and the engineers aimed to make adjustments to the bridge to prevent it from closing in that situation again.

Reaction

The closure of the Queensferry Crossing was met with criticism from the Scottish media and Unionist supporters who attacked the SNP on the bridge's closure

The closure of the bridge prompted several Scottish politicians to attack the SNP for their failure to act and some even blamed them for the weather as well.

Several unionist supporting politicians attacked the SNP on the closure. One such being Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton who said tweeted that it was closed from both sides after gloating an original statement that 'the bridge that would never close' which then prompted thousands of responses which hitback at Cole-Hamilton's original tweet.

Jackson Carlaw, who was then interim leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, criticised the decision to close the bridge and attacked the design flaws of the bridge and attacked the SNP because of it (see below).

The continued closure of the Queensferry Crossing is a damning indictment of this government. Whilst Nicola Sturgeon is swanning about in Brussels, Scots commuters are stuck without vital infrastructure. https://t.co/hdkQ7KWbAb

— Jackson Carlaw MSP (@Jackson_Carlaw) February 12, 2020

It was revealed a couple of days later that Jackson Carlaw had agreed to the design of the bridge and faced mockery after it was revealed he once praised the design of the bridge.

I suspect Jackson Carlaw will be more delighted than most to see the Queensferry Crossing reopen – because he helped choose the design. https://t.co/RkCnQTA85v

— Murray Foote (@murrayf00te) February 12, 2020

Media Response

The Herald, a Scottish newspaper based in Glasgow had published a front page story with the heading, "the Farce Road Bridge" which was attacked by users on Facebook and Twitter.

Queensferry Crossing £20 Bank Note

A couple of weeks after the bridge's closure, a new Scottish Bank note which features the Queensferry Crossing was entered into circulation (see below)

Bank of Scotland’s new £20 note – featuring an image of the Forth Bridge with the Queensferry Crossing – has entered circulation. https://t.co/y8STGLCsgO

— STV News (@STVNews) February 28, 2020

Scottish Twitter users had responded by referring to the bridge closure by joking if it was weather proofed and some others stating that politicians like Alex Cole-Hamilton and Jackson Carlaw would be mad.

Search Interest

External References