A BID for listed status is being launched for the Kingston Bridge as the structure reaches its 50th birthday.

The Glasgow bridge was opened on June 26, 1970 by the Queen Mother after three years of construction and a cost of £11 million – the equivalent of £180m today.

Spanning a length of 270 metres, the bridge is more than 40 metres wide and 20 metres tall.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The Kingston Bridge has become an iconic landmark in Glasgow over the half-century it’s been in operation.

“The crossing played its part in taking a significant amount of traffic off the city centre streets and paved the way for the pedestrianisation of Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street.

“There is no doubt it continues to play a vital role, carrying around 155,000 vehicles a day.

“The work that’s been carried out to ensure it continues to do this job in the future has also won civil engineering awards, so applying to have the Kingston Bridge listed seems a fitting way to mark its impact over the past 50 years.”

The Glasgow Motorway Archive is also releasing some unseen photos of the bridge from the 1960s and 1970s.