Wednesday 2 Feb 2022
Revised planning application for Forth Bridge Experience
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
Network Rail has submitted a planning application to City of Edinburgh Council for revised proposals to install a bridge walk and visitor hub at the iconic Forth Bridge.
The refreshed proposals include a single-storey reception hub to the east of the Forth Bridge, sympathetically positioned in the landscape and offering stunning views of the iconic heritage structure while minimising the impact on the surrounding environment.
The submission of the full planning application follows a public engagement exercise held in autumn 2021 to gather feedback from residents which helped to inform the final designs.
The proposals will see construction of a bridge walk and reception hub on the South Queensferry side of the UNESCO World Heritage site, which will be used for preparing those heading out on the bridge walk as well as providing an access point to the structure.
Groups of between 12 and 15 people will put on safety harnesses before being led out onto the bridge’s south cantilever, walking up to a viewing point at the top using walkways built into the structure.
Alan Ross, Network Rail Scotland’s director of engineering and asset management, said: “We have worked very hard over the past year to draw up revised proposals, making them more affordable and more sympathetic to the surrounding environment without compromising the appeal of this project.
“The plans we have submitted to deliver a bridge walk experience will offer the public a unique chance to explore this world-famous structure and create another exciting tourist attraction for Scotland.”
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - Nick King
Media relations manager (Scotland)
0141 555 4108 / 07515 617073
nick.king3@networkrail.co.uk
About Network Rail
We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
Follow us on Twitter: @networkrail
Visit our online newsroom: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk