First swing bridge over River Clyde in Scotland opens

Artistic render of the Renfrew Bridge in Scotland. Image courtesy GRAHAM

Officially named the Renfrew Bridge (previously referred to as the New River Clyde Bridge), the 184m twin-leaf swing bridge connects Renfrew town to the Glasgow neighbourhood of Yoker and the town of Clydebank. An opening ceremony was held on 8 May, with members of UK government in attendance.

The structure carries two lanes of traffic and includes dedicated pedestrian and cycle paths, while the swing-span allows for uninterrupted river traffic, which is said to be a first of its kind in Scotland.

The bridge itself cost an estimated £50 million ($66 million).

Scotland’s cost-efficient Renfrew Bridge

Construction of the Renfrew Bridge over River Clyde in Scotland. The bridge officially opened to road and marine traffic on 9 May, 2025, at midnight. Image: Drone Scotland | GRAHAM

The figure stands out as remarkably low for a moveable bridge of this scale and complexity.

Several factors contribute to the modest budget. The bridge’s relatively short span, combined with prefabricated components constructed offsite in the Netherlands, helped reduce onsite labour and material costs. It also avoids the high complexity and urban tie-in costs often seen in North American swing or lift bridges. Its twin-leaf bascule design is also a cost-efficient alternative to larger vertical lift structures.

For comparison, the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge – a vertical lift bridge completed in 2018 – between New Hampshire and Maine in the US cost more than $158 million, despite being similar in scale and intended for both vehicle and marine traffic. That figure does not include associated infrastructure or inflation since completion.

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By contrast, the Renfrew Bridge’s delivery highlights how early-stage design optimisation and offsite construction strategies can reduce capital costs.

Jim Armour, project director at UK-based GRAHAM, the project’s main contractor, said the design presented “unique engineering challenges”, which were met through value engineering. The process also helped sustainability goals.

He said, “By reconfiguring the deck section and optimising the stay-cable configuration, we’ve delivered a more efficient structure with a 35% carbon reduction.”

Renfrew Bridge part of larger Scotland infrastructure deal

Overhead view showing construction of the Renfrew Bridge in Scotland. Image: Drone Scotland | GRAHAM

The bridge project is part of the wider £1.13 billion ($1.7 billion) Glasgow City Region City Deal, jointly funded by the UK and Scottish governments.

The key delivery team consists of:

• Client: Renfrewshire Council
• Main contractor: GRAHAM
• Design partners: Kettle Collective (UK), Sweco (Sweden), Ramboll (Denmark), and Amey Consulting (UK)
• Specialist contractors: Hollandia Infra (Netherlands), Lemants (Belgium), Hardesty & Hanover (US), Roughan & O’Donovan (Ireland), Hycom Engineering (India), Fairfield Control Systems (UK)

Local impact

The Renfrewshire council expects the bridge to support 1,400 permanent jobs through inward investment, on top of the 950 construction jobs delivered during the build.

The structure also improves access to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) and includes new road links and active travel connections to nearby rail stations.

The opening was scheduled just after midnight local time on Friday, 9 May.

Copyright images were permitted for publication courtesy Drone Scotland: DroneScotland.com.