INDIVIDUALS are being invited to comment on a draft plan for the management of the Forth Bridge over the next 10 years.
All UNESCO World Heritage Sites are asked to maintain a management plan to support the future management needs of sites, as well as coordinating the interests of associated organisations, groups, and individuals, and to maximise the benefits and minimise any negative impacts from the World Heritage Site status.
The Forth Bridge’s Management Plan is now ten-years-old and is being updated for the next decade. Earlier this year, members of the public were asked for their input into the content. The results gathered have helped a multi-partner working group prepare a draft management plan for public consultation.
As well as an online questionnaire, there will be opportunities to find out more at a public meeting and local drop-in sessions. Details are below and further updates will be published on the Forth Bridges website and social media pages.
Councillor Altany Craik, Fife Council’s spokesperson for finance, economy, and strategic planning, said, “The Forth Bridge is an iconic structure of global significance, and its World Heritage status is something we are immensely proud of. Updating the management plan ensures we protect its heritage while supporting the communities and businesses around it.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, planning convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, added, “The Forth Bridge is a major rail crossing into the Capital from Fife linking the north with the central belt and the south. Carrying more than 200 trains every day it’s a well-known feat of engineering and one of the first large scale steel structures in the world. Its restoration was complete in 2011 and it’s important that the management plan makes sure it is kept as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We want to ensure this iconic structure is looked after for generations to come. I’d encourage Edinburgh residents to contribute to the consultation”
People are encouraged to give feedback on the draft plan by completing an online questionnaire by 31 March 2026 available here.
A public meeting will be held on Tuesday 20 January at the Contact & Education Centre, Ferrymuir Gait, South Queensferry from 6pm until 8pm.
Drop-in sessions are planned for throughout January:
- 14 Jan 1pm-4pm, Rosebery Hall, South Queensferry
- 15 Jan, 10am-2pm, Inverkeithing Civic Centre
- 15 Jan, 3.30pm-7pm, North Queensferry Community Complex
- 19 Jan, 10am-1pm, Parkgate Centre, Rosyth
- 20 Jan, 2pm-5pm, Contact & Education Centre, South Queensferry
- 22 Jan, 11am-2pm, South Queensferry Library
