Glenfinnan summit aims to help manage influx of visitors

A summit of Glenfinnan stakeholders has met to discuss how best to cope with the influx of tourists visiting its viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter film franchise.

 

The summit, held on Friday June 9 at Glenfinnan's Prince’s House Hotel, was organised by Glenfinnan residents Hege Hernæs and Ally Entwistle on behalf of West Highland Community Rail Partnership (WHCRP) project steering group and Glenfinnan Community Council. It was chaired by Kate Forbes MSP.

 

Among those represented at the meeting were Highland Council, Visit Scotland, Police Scotland, and members of Scotland's rail industry.

 

Topics for discussion were public communications, public transport improvements, and governance of the travel management plan.

 

Latest figures put the annual number of tourists visiting the Glenfinnan Viaduct at 500,000. The area has a permanent population of 150.

 

Infrastructure has struggled to cope with the tourist numbers, with traffic a particular issue. Many visitors time their arrival by car purely to see the Jacobite Steam Train cross the famous bridge.

 

"attachment_959449" "" "296"] (L-R) Ally Entwistle, Kate Forbes MSP, Hege Hernæs

 

After the summit, Kate Forbes MSP commented: “When the Harry Potter crew first came to film at the viaduct, I don’t think anyone expected to see such sustained growth over 20 years on. Glenfinnan is now one of Scotland’s top attractions and very much on the world stage.

 

“It’s great that so many people are coming and enjoying the Highlands, as well as supporting the local economy, but there’s a responsibility to ensure visitor numbers are managed in a safe, respectful and sustainable way.

 

“Following the summit, there are a number of options now being looked at – including data collection, on-site facilities, travel arrangements and public messaging – and I look forward to taking this forward with the community and other stakeholder groups.”

 

Ms Hernæs commented: “Encouragingly, we found there was a clear willingness to help among the delegates present. We are grateful to all the agencies that sent high-level officers to Glenfinnan so they could sit down in a room together and talk.”

 

The summit had been a recommendation of a travel management plan published in April by Ansons Consulting on behalf of the local community council and WHCRP.