20.09.19
Network rail proposal for UNESCO World Heritage Site
Network Rail has submitted a planning application to City of Edinburgh Council proposing to install a bridge walk and visitor centre at the historic Forth Bridge.
If plans go ahead for the UNESCO World Heritage site revamp, members of the public will be able to drink in the iconic Scottish history from heights of 367ft (110m) above sea level.
The applications propose the construction of a harnessed bridge walk and reception hub on the South Queensferry side of the beloved site, used as a social area for those heading out on the bridge walk as well as providing an access point to the structure.
Up to 15 people at a time will be kitted out in safety equipment before being led out onto the bridge’s south beam, walking up to an extraordinary viewing point at the top using walkways built into the structure.
The 129-year-old railway bridge, owned by Network rail, was voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016.
Up to three groups an hour will be free to soak up the bridge’s beauty for up to two and a half hours. The plans are projected to attract around 85,000 visitors, providing a boost to the local community and its economy.
Longer-term plans include the creation of visitor facilities at the north end of the bridge and could see access to the top of the north cantilever, with lift installation.
Alan Ross, Network Rail Scotland’s director of engineering and asset management, said: “The Forth Bridge is an engineering icon and the plans we have submitted to deliver a bridge walk experience will offer a unique and memorable visit to one of Scotland’s most loved structures.
“From the engineering genius behind its design, to the historical accounts of its construction and its crucial role in Scotland’s operational railway, the bridge really is a national treasure and there is real appetite to take these plans forward.”