Plastic banknotes to be released in Scotland in 2015

Clydesdale Bank in Scotland will release Britain's first plastic banknotes next year to mark the 125th anniversary of the Forth Bridge, it was confirmed on Friday. The bank will release two million five-pound (about 8.43 U.S. dollars) notes from March 2015 to coincide with the anniversary of the opening of the rail bridge, according to an official statement. The Clydesdale Bank note, which is smaller than the existing notes, celebrates the nomination of the Forth Bridge for inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage List in 2014. It features the image of Sir William Arrol, one of Scotland's most celebrated engineers, whose company constructed the Forth Bridge. Built over seven years, the Forth Bridge was opened on March 4, 1890 as the first major structure in Britain to be constructed of steel. In December, the Bank of England announced that it planned to issue plastic banknotes for the first time from 2016, when a new five-pound note featuring Sir Winston Churchill will be introduced. A 10-pound note featuring Jane Austen will follow around a year later, to be made from polymer rather than cotton paper which is currently used. Polymer notes are proven to be more durable than existing notes, with research finding that they stay cleaner for longer, are more difficult to counterfeit and are at least 2.5 times longer-lasting, according to banks.