Climb the Forth Bridge at new £24m visitor centre
THE green light has been given for a major new £24 million tourist attraction at the Forth Bridge.
Planning permission for the Forth Bridge Experience was first approved by City of Edinburgh Council on January 29. The attraction is expected to welcome 85,000 visitors annually and create 40 jobs, while also boosting the local economy.
Network Rail plans to allow members of the public to take guided walks on the iconic structure, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for the first time.
A scheme to create a single-storey reception hub and 56-space car park in the development site at South Queensferry has now been approved.
Superb views
As part of the plans, the design of the reception hub will minimise the impact on the surrounding environment while offering visitors stunning views of the bridge.
The hub 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 don safety harnesses before being led out onto the bridge’s south cantilever, walking up to a 367ft-high viewing point at the top using walkways built into the structure.
The new walkways required along the top member of the bridge will be visually unobtrusive and largely contained within the line of the existing steelwork, according to a report to the council.
The tours will last around two and a half hours.
‘Exciting design’
Network Rail Scotland’s director of engineering and asset management, Alan Ross, said:“It is great to see our plans for the Forth Bridge Experience moving forward.
“The team has worked hard to create this exciting design and we are looking forward to working with the successful contractor to bring these plans to life.”
Network Rail has also begun the process of appointing a main contractor to build the reception hub and car park, with contractors being invited to tender for the project