The new Queensferry Crossing over the River Forth is set to open to traffic at the end of August.

Opening day for the £1.35bn bridge will be Wednesday, August 30, economy secretary Keith Brown said on Tuesday.

However the bridge will close for two days shortly afterwards to allow the public a "once in a lifetime" chance to walk across the span.

There are 50,000 spaces available for the walk, which has been called the Queensferry Crossing Experience.

The bridge had originally been scheduled to open in December 2016 but was hit by delays, which contractors blamed on poor weather.

Brown said: "What is being achieved on the Forth today, like what was achieved 53 years ago, is a testament to the expertise and the endeavour of those who have designed and built these bridges.

"I am very pleased to be able to confirm the Queensferry Crossing will open August 30, 2017. The bridge will be used by vehicles up to September 1, before closing to allow the public the chance to walk across it as part of the Queensferry Crossing Experience on September 2 and 3.

"This Queensferry Crossing Experience will allow for up to 50,000 people to have the once in a lifetime chance to walk across the Queensferry Crossing before it becomes a motorway with no pedestrian access.

"In order to manage access to the bridge there will be a ballot to decide who will have this unique opportunity to be one of the 50,000 people. I would encourage as many people as possible to enter and take part."

The ballot for the walk across the bridge will run until July 5, he said.

Construction of the bridge, which links the Lothians to Fife, has taken almost six years.

It is intended to replace the Forth Road Bridge and will carry the M90 across the Forth.

The final section of the 1.7-mile link was lifted into place in February this year.

Since then, electrical cables and waterproofing have been installed in order to complete the structure.

The Queensferry Crossing is said to be the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world and the tallest in Britain.

Michael Martin, project director for the consortium building the crossing, said: "The Queensferry Crossing is one of the world's great bridges.

"It's the largest bridge of its type and its fast track design and construction has presented many challenges.

"The safety of our workforce, who have worked relentlessly through the hostile weather conditions in the Forth estuary to deliver the earliest completion of this project, has always been our number one priority and it will continue to be so as move towards the completion of the project."