Transport Minister Keith Brown has been visiting a new education centre at the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC), which is intended to inspire future generations of Scottish engineers.

The new Contact and Education Centre on the south bank of the Forth is a dedicated facility for schools, colleges and other groups as well as an access point for enquiries relating to the project.

In Spring, the building will also become home to the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre.

Minister Brown said: "The current bridges of the Forth are stunning feats of civil engineering from the 19th and 20th centuries and the inspiration for generations of engineers across the globe. It is absolutely right that we use the new 21st century bridge to educate and inspire the engineers of the future in just the same way.

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"2013 will be a pivotal year for the most significant Scottish infrastructure project for a generation. Over the course of the year the permanent structure will become visible as the bridge towers start to rise from the waters of the Forth and, of course, this is the year the people of Scotland will vote for the permanent name for their bridge. The opening of the Contact and Education Centre certainly gets the year off to a great start.

"I hope many schools, colleges and other parties take this great opportunity to learn more about this latest and amazing feat of civil engineering that is happening once again across the waters of the Forth."

Meanwhile, figures show that as of 31 December 2012, 334 Scottish firms have been directly awarded subcontracts or supply orders totalling £130m by the project’s main contractors.

By the end of 2012, Scottish firms had won 63% of subcontracts and 89% of supply orders.

Transport Scotland says there are around 1200 people directly employed in the project.

(IT)