New Queensferry Crossing added to Google maps

Google Maps has been updated with the new bridge

The new bridge across the Forth estuary has been added to Google Maps, as it officially opened to traffic.

Users had been unable to find the £1.35bn Queensferry Crossing on Google Maps despite it being under construction for six years.

The new crossing between the Lothians to Fife was added to Maps overnight as the bridge opened for the first time.

Maps now shows the 53-year-old Forth Road Bridge, the iconic 19th Century Forth Bridge and the new crossing.

The Forth now has three bridges crossing it within a very short distance

The Ordnance Survey had earlier confirmed that the crossing was on its OS MasterMap database.

It said the database was updated 10,000 times a day by OS surveyors.

The new bridge is on the left of the above Ordnance Survey map. The Forth Road Bridge is in the middle and the Forth Bridge, for railway traffic, is on the right.

The new bridge between the north of Edinburgh and Fife will take most of the 24 million vehicle journeys a year that currently use the ailing Forth Road Bridge.

The existing suspension bridge will be adapted to be used by lighter traffic such as bicycles, pedestrians and public transport.

The Ordnance Survey captures images from the air to maintain its database

On Monday night, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon switched on the lights and a projection was beamed over the new Queensferry Crossing to mark a week of celebrations around its opening.

The new crossing over the River Forth was lit up on Monday night

Opening the Queensferry Crossing - What next?

The new crossing will open to traffic for the first time on Wednesday

Friday 1 September

Early in the morning, the Queensferry Crossing will close to all traffic.

Police will redirect all vehicles back across the Forth Road Bridge.

It will remain closed until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September

About 50,000 members of the public, who were given tickets after a ballot, will get a "once in a lifetime" chance to walk over the new bridge on Saturday and Sunday.

Monday 4 September

The Queen will officially open the Queensferry Crossing. She will be joined by the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will bless the bridge, and the Queen will cut a ribbon on the south side.

Tuesday 5 September

A chance for a further 10,000 local people and school children to walk the bridge.

Thursday 7 September

The bridge will re-open to traffic, with no pedestrian access.

The initial speed limit will be 40mph but after work has been completed to adapt the Forth Road Bridge public transport will be switched back to the old bridge and the Queensferry Crossing will become a 70 mph motorway.