IT is the sixtieth anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge, and some in Scotland are celebrating.
Traffic Scotland led the way, sharing an upbeat video put to Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday on social media.
“Today we celebrate the Forth Road Bridge's 60th birthday – Happy Birthday!” the agency wrote, adding cake and party popper emojis.
Today we celebrate the Forth Road Bridge's 60th birthday - Happy Birthday! 🎉 🎂 pic.twitter.com/I130fLZNRO
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) September 4, 2024
But not everyone was in the party spirit. Certainly not the folks at BBC Scotland anyway.
Rather than celebrate the 60 years the bridge has stood for, BBC Scotland suggested it might just be about to collapse into the firth.
“Forth Road Bridge marks 60th anniversary – but how long will it last?” their headline ominously asked.
The article went on to say that there were “questions about the future of the old road bridge”.
It added: “Now one expert has told BBC Scotland News he expects the bridge will comfortably exceed its expected 120-year lifespan.”
Oh, well that’s ok then.
But the oddly negative framing didn’t go unnoticed.
Journalist Neil Drysdale wrote on social media: “This seems a very negative take on what is a really positive story about a marvel of Scottish construction and engineering.
“I still love travelling via the Forth and seeing that magnificent vista, with three wonderful bridges at the same site. It’s well worth celebrating!”
Longer than the Union...#ScottishIndependence #YouYesYet #SNP https://t.co/8Xidz7GIqv
— @DerekMackenzie.bsky.social (@DerekMackenzie_) September 4, 2024
Another user added: “So, in short, it’ll last for at least another 60 years. That’s not really what we’re invited to infer from your headline though, is it?
“It’ll be there for a lot longer than BBC ‘Scotland’, that’s for sure.”
A third added: “Is there ANY news story about Scotland that you can't put a negative spin on?”
But is the doom and gloom unique to BBC Scotland? Maybe.
In August, the broadcaster covered the 400th anniversary of the old bridge in Berwick, in Northumberland.
There wasn’t a hint of a question about how much longer it might manage to stand, despite it already being there for four centuries.
Perhaps they just don’t build ‘em like they used to.
