Published: Wednesday, 8th October, 2008 12:30
Success of Clackmannanshire Bridge campaign
By Kevin McRoberts
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The Clackmannanshire Bridge, which will open on 19 November.
Pic by: Jan van der Merwe
FOR the best part of two years, the Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser has been referring to the Upper Forth Crossing as the Clackmannanshire Bridge – and now, at last, it’s official, with the Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson confirming the name last week.
Clackmannanshire Council was determined to see the new bridge carrying the name of the county and so, together with Ochil MSP Keith Brown and the Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser, a joint campaign was launched to promote the name Clackmannanshire Bridge.
The efforts of everyone involved proved decisive and, backed by many people in the county, it was by far the most popular of the 178 suggested names put forward during the consultation process at the beginning of this year.
Councillor Eddie Carrick, who led the cross-party campaign for the council, was delighted when the name was announced and paid tribute to everyone who played a part in securing a successful outcome.
He said, “I would like to congratulate the Minister for listening to the people of Clackmannanshire. This is a fantastic advert for people power.
“The council may have led the Clackmannanshire Bridge campaign, but it received the backing of a huge proportion of the county’s population who all wanted their county put on the map.
I am delighted with this news and am sure that this decision will bring massive benefits to the county.”
Mr Carrick praised the efforts of Ochil MSP Keith Brown, who took every opportunity to highlight the campaign, particularly in the Scottish Parliament and in meetings with the Transport Minister. And he said the Advertiser had played a major role in getting the message out to the people of the county.
“For this campaign to be a success we needed the support of the people,” he said. “The support of the Advertiser was crucial because it was able to get the message across to its readers.”
Mr Carrick added that the Clackmannanshire Bridge would raise the profile of the county, ensuring its name was known far beyond its own boundaries.
“This will really put us on the map,” he said. “I’m proud and delighted that the people of Clackmannanshire supported us in making this possible.”
Keith Brown MSP said that with the completion of the A907, and the opening of the Alloa rail link, the naming of the bridge is the final piece of the jigsaw.
He told the Advertiser, “I am elated that the huge campaign – representing the loud and clear opinion of my constituents in Clackmannanshire – has been a complete and total success.
“As a councillor, I urged the members to unite behind one name and, as the MSP for the area, I made extensive representations to the Minister and encouraged everyone to unite in support of the Wee County.
“The Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser did an excellent job getting the local community involved in what was a first-rate campaign.
“And everyone who wrote to the Minister in support of the name, including many of the Wee County’s school children, deserve to be congratulated.
“Recognition must also be given to Councillor Eddie Carrick for his part in the process. I am sure the fact that the local community whole-heartedly supported the name had a positive impact on the final decision.
“Along with the improved road links into Clackmannanshire, I firmly believe that naming the bridge after the County will literally put us on the map, as the name will appear on traffic reports and maps, and bring real benefits in terms of awareness of the Wee County.
“The Wee County is now well connected and we need to let people know this. The bridge will help us do that.”
Mr Brown added, “I recall a conversation I had with Provost Derek Stewart when he promised to buy me a drink should my representations that the crossing be named the Clackmannanshire Bridge be successful – all I can say is ‘make mine a pint Derek!’”
Provost Derek Stewart added his congratulations to everyone involved in the campaign, and said he was looking forward to the county benefiting from improved transport links.
He said, “The list is too long to go through but I’d like to personally thank everybody who worked hard on the campaign over the last year – schools, local celebrities, politicians and businesses. It was the right decision, even though we had to wait a while to get it.
“It will not happen in 24 hours, but the bridge will open up the east side of Clackmannanshire and in the next few years we will see the benefits.
“I’d like to thank the Alloa Advertiser, who have been a great credit to the campaign. Without their help and support we might not have been as successful.”
And, on buying Keith Brown a drink, Mr Stewart added, “I’m a man of my word. I said at the time of the campaign, if we’re successful I’d buy Keith a pint – and I won’t go back on my word.”
The public consultation exercise for the naming process attracted 178 different suggestions with around 30 per cent of those attracting support from more than one person.
Suggestions ranged from the final chosen name to more light hearted ones such as ‘Bridge at Jones Diary’ and ‘Blackadder Crossing’.
This consultation was held in order to gather views and was not a vote. However, responses were overwhelmingly in favour of Clackmannanshire Bridge.
New signs with the name ‘Clackmannanshire Bridge’ will be erected on the near approaches to the bridge.
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