Tourism spin off is the key to success in the local areas as city overheats

West Lothian can benefit from a boom in tourism to the Forth bridges - and also from an overheating capital.

Jim Henderson, business development manager with West Lothian Council told members of the Development and Transport policy development and scrutiny panel (PDSP) that tourism employs around 3000 in West Lothian and there are potential spin off benefits from developing the bridges as a destination.

Visitor numbers to the county were approximately 1.14 million in 2017. There were 2.17 million visitor days in 2017, a 3 per cent increase since 2015.

The council can anticipate an increase in “nearby tourist” visits from around Scotland. In particular, improved transport connections will materially benefit West Lothian. It is quicker to travel from the Forth Bridges to either Linlithgow or Livingston than in to Edinburgh city centre, and there is an opportunity through the strategy to capitalise on this.

Mr Henderson delivered an optimistic report suggesting potential for a 20 per cent rise in visitors in the next ten years.

But there was some scepticism from Provost Tom Kerr who told the PDSP that there was nothing in the policy to suggest how West Lothian “could capture” visitors to the bridges.

“We might need to put forward a strong case for Queensferry to come back into West Lothian, “he said.

Mr Henderson explained that membership of the Forth Bridges Forum, which promotes the area as a tourist destination, cost nothing but allowed the council to influence strategy.

“The closer we work the more we stand to benefit,” he added.

Craig McCorriston, Head of Planning, said West Lothian could also benefit from Edinburgh’s booming popularity explaining that there were suggestions that the city market was “overheating”.

Gloria Gibson, Senior People’s Forum representative, and a panel member, said Livingston’s shopping centres could be promoted as a destination for cruise ship passengers docking at Rosyth.