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Published Date: 19 November 2006
By EDDIE BARNES
EDINBURGH is set to surge further ahead of Glasgow as the country's air-link hub as a result of its controversial new multi-million-pound rail link, a secret report has concluded.
A private paper, commissioned by the Executive, on the effects of the rail links proposed for each city's airport has found the capital could gain up to an extra 6.5 million passengers over 20 years as a result of its £600m link.

Despite plans fo
r its own track costing £200m, the report suggests that over the same period Glasgow will actually have three million fewer passengers than previous estimates because travellers will flock east.

The report suggests that by 2030, as many as 23 million passengers could be either arriving or departing from Edinburgh. Glasgow, by contrast, will attract 13 million passengers.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report was commissioned to study whether the construction of the Edinburgh link would adversely affect the case for building the Glasgow line. Plans for both lines are currently going through Holyrood.

The Edinburgh Airport line envisages direct links to more than 60 stations thanks to a controversial tunnel under its runway. Glasgow's line would be a simple connection to Paisley and Glasgow Central Station.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott has previously argued the Edinburgh link would have a "minimal" impact on Glasgow's own proposed link.

But using predictions that Edinburgh Airport will grow faster than Glasgow because of expected increased demand in the Lothians area, the report concluded: "At Glasgow the impact of the Edinburgh Airport rail link outweighs the benefits of introducing the Glasgow rail link during the first 13 years of operation."

Last night, SNP transport spokesman Fergus Ewing said: "Glasgow could lose up to half a million passengers a year from this. For the minister to say that is minimal is verging on the dishonest."

Whether or not the rail links are built, both airports are expected to grow massively as demand grows for more flights.



The full article contains 359 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 19 November 2006 12:11 AM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: Scotland's airports
 
1

David n' Goliath,

Edinburgh 19/11/2006 01:49:54

It won't be nearly as big a threat as the gradual loss of the energy source for flying and transport.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/broadband/catalyst/asx/oilc...

2

Sanny,

Glasgow 19/11/2006 03:00:42

Don't believe all the propaganda produced by the Flat Earth Society and other Luddlites. Try to study inovative science projects that are already underway.

3

Graeme F,

Edinburgh 19/11/2006 09:26:42

What exactly is Fergus Ewing trying to tell us? That the SNP position is now to protect Glasgow Airport's position as the lead airport in Scotland, even if it means they have to take action to curtail other airports? I guess it explains their opposition to the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link.

Why not allow all Scottish airports to develop and grow, and to develop nationwide rail links? That's surely in the economic interests of the country as a whole. Why is the SNP so anti Edinburgh/the east coast all of a sudden? Is it because they've figured there's no votes here for them?

4

Liam,

Edinburgh 19/11/2006 09:35:25

I find it hard to believe that simply by adding a rail link that one airport will have a massive strategic advantage over the other. After all, Gatwick Airport had a rail link for years (Heathrow got its rail link comparatively recently), and it was always the second busiest airport in London, long before the Heathrow Express came along.

Anyway, apart from municipal pride, is there any particular reason why Edinburgh becoming the bsuiest airport in Scotland would represent such bad news? I'm genuinely puzzled as to why the SNP should be so troubled by figures pointing to big growth at Scotland's airports. Surely this should be attractive to the nationalists as you would think they do not want Scots to continue having to fly via Heathrow or Manchester for their international travel?

I welcome the enlargement of all Scotland's airports, but I won't support a policy of retaining Glasgow Airport as the largest airport simple because of tradition and because it keeps politicians on the west coast happy. The airlines will choose which airports they wish to serve, and we should respect their choice and bend over backwards to cater to them at whichever airport they want, without political interference.

5

Alannah,

Edinburgh 19/11/2006 10:29:35

Why is this such a big deal, except as a 'city pride' issue? Edinburgh Airport has always been run as a secondary concern to Glasgow by the BAA, and nobody ever made a fuss then!

Since the takeover of BAA by Ferrovial there seems to be a newfound enthusiasm for Edinburgh by the new Spanish owners. It's clear that many airlines are favouring it over Glasgow even now, and that's before either airport gets a rail link.

Have politicians learned nothing from the Prestwick, when airlines were previously being forced into using certain airports against their preferences? Once that restriction was lifted both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports started to flourish.

I sincerely hope the SNP aren't proposing a similar situation where Glasgow Airport is categorised as the only Scottish airfield which is allowed to expand? That would cause serious economic decline for Edinburgh and the regions of Scotland which Edinburgh Airport serves.

Once Glasgow crossrail is built, Glasgow will have the same opportunity as Edinburgh to have a national rail connection to its airport. Why shouldn't we allow both airports to grow? If Edinburgh happens to overtake Glasgow on the way then so be it. I find it alarming that certain politicians think the bottom line should be the preserving of Glasgow's slim lead in the passenger figures stakes. By opposing EARL they seem almost to be commiting an act of economic sabotage. Are we now seeing the real face of the SNP?

6

Media 1,

Cape Town 19/11/2006 12:10:00

Who cares which city benefits, as long as it is good for Scotland it must be supported...

7

Ricky,

19/11/2006 12:11:00

If this goes ahead Ferovial and Edinburgh Airport - with its Mega Finnancial Profits will soon see further increases as the public pay for a service to improve Edinburgh Airports business.

The prime desire for the rail link is by folks who wish to get away on holiday easier - because lets face it, business travellers are likely to travel by private cab.

As for people travelling to Edinburgh, rather than Glasgow in the future this is a daft investigation and a waste of time.

Over a 20 year period - can the Experts PriceWaterhouse and our Elected Executive Predict:
The Electorates Choice of Government?
Wars?
The possible break-up of baa?
baa’s acceptance of incoming flights and to which airport?
Aircraft operators choice of Airport?
Weather and Environmental Disasters?
The outcome of baa’s court case currently underway at Strasbourg’s court of human rights for blighting a community at Stanstead?

And if we believe they can - how come there are 300 plus redundancies forecast at baa airports this week through the flybe debackle - an economic threat forecast in the stern report due to environmental catastrophe linked heavily with the aviation industry - A government changing track on a messy middle eastern conflict - an opinion poll pointing to SNP in power in Scotland at this point in time - a forecast for a downturn in the Scottish population - a restriction put on ‘imigrant’ workers

If you want to get accurate predictions for this type of future - get some sacred twigs and throw them on the ground.

PriceWaterhouse and the Scottish Executive do not have a crystal ball - and this article can be regarded as no-more than a press placed piece to either gauge or create reaction or force a plan for the future.

8

Budgie,

Scotland. 19/11/2006 15:06:39

Surely the project number of passengers would justify a rail link to both airports, and no doubt, other regional airports would record an increase in passenger usage if rail links were established there also.

9

Big Jack,

Glasgow 19/11/2006 16:00:22

Lets get this dabate back into realism. I have yet to be convinced that the amount of money expected to create the EARL link is value for money. I seriously doubt the estimate for such a grand tunneling scheme. Assuming it was built in the future and passenger number grow as predicted. The airport building could not handle the passenger numbers, let alone the runway capacity. It's currently bursting at the seams.Perhaps the easiest way forward is a new terminal and extra runway, with a simple land based rail link, at vastly reduced cost. I am yet to be convinced of the need for the link to serve all Scotland stations. I think there may also be a fair chance that shortly the airport will be connected by a Tram link to the City. Does it really need both?

10

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 19/11/2006 17:21:40

The Executive and the SNP are both battling for the Glasgow vote which might explain why the report was commissioned and the SNP was asked to express an opinion. The published statement by Fergus Ewing was very non-committal, giving only a statistic which was presumably in the report.

The whole thing smacks to me, though, of sour grapes. We should not forget that Glasgow is Labour's heartland while Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It must really crack them up to see the status of Edinburgh rise so dramatically sinse devolution and end the Westminster favouring of Glasgow.

You only have to look a Executive policy of "decentralising" to a cental location at the other end of the M8 and the "Twin City Powerhouse" attitude to realise that the unilateral rivalry between Edinburgh and Glasgow blows in with the west wind and does the country no good at all.

To sum up my little diatribe, I suggest the report (which we taxpayers are funding) reads between the lines as "It's no fair. We want what Embra has and more"

11

,

20/11/2006 01:02:33
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason: Scotsman Import, Original comment id: 177726, Article id was mapped to record!
12

Stewie G,

20/11/2006 05:47:28

Ideally Scotland should have had one airport -probably sited around Falkirk, but due to our parochial minded East v West decision making processs we are stuck with two.

Edinbugh airport is far better placed than Glasgow ie Paisley to be the major hub-due to its superior motorway links with the majority of Scotland.

13

,

20/11/2006 11:47:03
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason: Scotsman Import, Original comment id: 178420, Article id was mapped to record!
14

David n' Goliath,

Edinburgh 20/11/2006 13:37:14

#14 Edinburghescapee. What flew up your butt?

Has it not occurred to you that the GARL scheme + cross rail will probably take some passengers from Edinburgh and that EARL will take some passengers from Glasgow.

It is a GOOD thing to have competition between airports for passengers. You're taking it as a personal insult - get help!

I oppose EARL because of the negative effects it has on the existing very slow railway service and that the new infrastructure diverts existing rail capacity, rather than providing new and extra capacity. It is a large scheme to have to abandon when rising fuel costs and anglo-scottish high-speed rail undermine the passenger base of short-haul air.
A cheaper spur to Edinburgh would be a better scheme for the long term.

We should be investing in High-speed rail to London and Europe. Aviation - has a huge problem coming its way - that's how to keep planes in the air with a dwindling fuel supply in the coming decades! It's best not to throw too much money at roads and rails connecting to airports, busy places now - but very likley to be much quieter after peak oil.

15

Meta,

20/11/2006 20:57:13

I reckon Jock Tamson was right. What bile from that eejit. Skinfats International near Grangemouth is the sensible location for the central belt. Prestwick for south-west Scotland and Aberdeen for north-east Scotland.

Suppose Edinburghescapee (with typical double standards) would crow that Prestwick is now called Glasgow Prestwick and yet forget it already has a rail link. Only Glasgow Paisley does not.

You see, dear Edinburghescapee, Glasgow does not actually have an airport - in only has a name with an imperialistic attitude. As I am presently working in Glasgow I can assure you that the city certainly does not have the support from the rest of the west that you assume when you talk about 50% of the country.

16

,

20/11/2006 22:42:40
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason: Scotsman Import, Original comment id: 179769, Article id was mapped to record!
17

Edinburghescapee,

Dublin 23/11/2006 00:24:37

#16. "Glasgow does not actually have an airport"

Oh really? The city of Glasgow built and paid for the replacement airport at Abbotsinch (when the city of Glasgow built-and-paid-for airport at Renfrew became inadequate).

Glasgow *has an airport*, which was built on land which was originally part of the city of Glasgow - Abbotsinch was a satellite part of the city until local government reorganisation in the 1976 created Renfrew District Council and the airport came under the control of Renfrew DC/Renfrewshire.

Until then (1976) passengers landed at Abbotsinch (which was part of the city of Glasgow) and entered Renfrewshire briefly until crossing the official city boundary again at Hillington.

GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT

As for "the city certainly does not have the support from the rest of the west that you assume when you talk about 50% of the country.".....

You'll find that the vast majority of people in the west of Scotland think more of Glasgow than they ever will of Edinburgh, many regard Glasgow as being the real capital of Scotland and many in the west feel nothing but contempt for the joke 'capital' in the east!

18

Edinburghescapee,

Dublin 23/11/2006 00:24:52

Just more parochial stirring it up by the pathetic Scotsman group papers who have trouble seeing beyond Toytown's city by-pass.

As for some of the comments (e.g. #11) - just typical east coast parochial rubbish.

The social engineering which has been going on in Scotland for yonks has been the desperate attempts by the insecure, very jealous and insular Edinburgh establishment to try and beef up little Edinburgh as the pretend capital.

The EARL project is just a desperate attempt to steal passengers from all over Scotland, especially the west where a massive half of the population lives, to try and obtain 'most number of annual passengers' status for Mickey Mouse Turnhouse airport.

It fools no-one and just fuels anti-Edinburgh sentiment countrywide because since devolution Scots have seen what it would be like if the country was independent with greedy, ignorant, jealous wee Edinburgh (and its unpleasant, hardly-Scots-at-all natives) as its so-called capital city.

If anyone in jealous-of-Glasgow-to-the-point-of-spontaneous-combustion little Edinburgh thinks half of Scotland is going to suddenly allow their own west coast airports to be run down in favour of the lesser city's airport and allow Turnhouse's blatant/desperate attempts to grab passengers from the other side of the country by a white elephant rail link then they are more delusional than they are already notorious for.

The west of Scotland, where half of Scotland lives and where the bulk of the country's MSPs, MPs and councillors, media and passengers come from have more clout than Scotland's 2nd city in the east. If provoked they could wipe the floor with Edinburgh.

The only reason it hasn't hapened yet is because so many people in the west don't realise the amount of crap that is printed in Edinburgh's papers as they don't read the parochial rubbish of a small city.

The business case for EARL hasn't been presented or given a full examination by MSPs ye

19

D. Graham,

Paisley, Greater Glasgow 25/11/2006 23:33:51

#16, Glasgow doesnt actually have an airport? At the last count I believe it had two. An airport doesnt have to be within the city boundaries for it to serve the metropolitan area, and thank goodness for that, as the boundary commission have never been as keen to expand the City of Glasgow's boundaries as they have been to enlarge Edinburgh's.
To concentrate on the article in question, the idea of Edinburgh becoming Scotland's largest airport by 10 million passengers is ludicrous. While it seems that EDI may overtake GLA slightly in the near future, it will be short lived ; when GARL, Crossrail and the M74 extension are in place, Glasgow Int will be by far the most accessible airport in Scotland.
I have worked in the West coast for twenty five years and lived the first forty years of my life in Glasgow - believe me when I say, #16, that the vast majority of the three million people who live in the former Strathclyde area will support any decision to improve the economic prospects of Glasgow rather than Edinburgh, which has sadly wasted too much of our public money in recent years for the size of city that it is.

20

eric,

Lothian 26/04/2009 09:13:38
:) hahaha yea right lokk at the way it turned out,Glasgow got the train link and we got a crumby tram theat dumps you a mile from our airport!You were saying hahahahahahahahahahaha

 

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