The Scottish bridge that was the world's most expensive crossing before toll was scrapped

Daily Record

17-06-2025

Scotland has more than 500 bridges but few have caused quite as much uproar as this one.
Scotland is home to hundreds of bridges, with crossings throughout the country linking islands and spanning rivers and lochs. But few of them sparked as much national attention, and outrage, as the Skye Bridge.
With 577 bridges across the country, Scotland plays a key part in the UK's total of 3,680 structures that connect towns, cities, and regions. Among the most iconic are the trio of bridges across the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh and Glasgow's Kingston Bridge on the M8.
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But it was the Skye Bridge, which links the Misty Isle of to the mainland, that once held the title of the most expensive bridge in the world to cross, The Mirror reports.
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Opened on October 16, 1995, the Skye Bridge was built by Scottish firm Miller and designed by German engineering company DYWIDAG Systems International, in partnership with Arup.
Its main structure is a sweeping concrete arch supported by two piers, stretching from the mainland to the smaller island of Eilean Bàn, and then to Skye itself.
Eilean Bàn, meaning 'White Island', plays a central role in the structure, as it is the land upon which the main arch of the bridge rests. The island is home to a 21-metre-high lighthouse that sits just beneath the arch.
Before automation in the 1960s, lighthouse keepers lived in the cottages on the island. These were later purchased by the renowned naturalist and author Gavin Maxwell, best known for his work with otters and his celebrated book Ring of Bright Water.
Today, Eilean Bàn is a protected wildlife reserve, managed by the Bright Water Trust. One of the cottages now houses the Maxwell museum, a faithful reconstruction of Maxwell's 40-foot living room containing original artefacts.
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The museum was recreated with the help of Virginia McKenna from the Born Free Foundation.
The entire bridge stretches 1.5 miles, and the central arch rises to a height of 35 metres, offering 30 metres of clearance at high tide for passing boats.
Before the bridge's construction, which cost around £28million, Skye residents had to rely on the ferry from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin, often queuing for hours during peak seasons.
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Though the bridge improved access to Skye, its tolls triggered a storm of controversy. Charges rose from just 40p to an eye-watering £11.40 within a decade, making it the most expensive crossing in Europe, and at one point, the world.
Local humour reflected public anger, with the crossing getting an unwanted tag from islanders: 'The Skye Bridge – the only place in the world where you get mugged AND get a receipt!'
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The backlash led to the formation of a protest group, Skye Bridge Against Tolls (SKAT), who argued the tolls were extortionate.
Campaigners claimed the operating company collected over £33million in tolls, despite the bridge's running costs being just £3.5million.
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After years of protest, the tolls were finally scrapped on December 21, 2004. The Skye Bridge now stands as a vital connection between island and mainland.
After the Skye Bridge toll was scrapped, few remained across Scotland - and they followed suit in the years afterwards.
One of the country's most-used crossings, the Erskine Bridge, remained as a toll road until March 31, 2006, at which point traversing the River Clyde there became free.
The Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge both had their tolls scrapped on February 11, 2008. Scotland no longer has any toll roads or bridges.