BAA Urges Construction of M8-Edinburgh Airport Link Road
BAA, the airport operator, has revitalised plans for the construction of a link road between the M8 and Edinburgh Airport; claiming that the present road system is “not fit for purpose”. Although the scheme was rejected by the Scottish Executive last year, BAA has now commissioned a feasibility study into the venture.
Edinburgh Airport is of huge significance both locally and nationally, with BAA’s new call coinciding with the probable failure of the planned Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. The rail link would connect Edinburgh Airport with 62 other stations nationwide, but the SNP seems reluctant to finance it. At present, a tram system is in operation, and this has remained active despite government attempts to restrict its funding. However, while the tram continues to provide an effective link within Edinburgh itself, passengers to the Airport journey from much further afield – thus reinforcing the validity of a more expansive transport service.
Another factor relates to the growing numbers of passengers travelling to Edinburgh Airport; necessitating the need for a new road to avoid severe gridlock elsewhere. The SNP, says analysts, will probably soon propose its own rail alternative to the EARL, but this will not extend as far as the rejected scheme. This, they state, provides a good basis for a re-evaluation of the M8-Edinburgh Airport link road.
Originally proposed in the UK’s Government’s air transport white paper some years back, it was dismissed by the Executive on the grounds of its effect on the environment, as well as the related engineering works and consequent traffic problems.
The rejection, made in last November’s West Edinburgh Planning Framework, took the ½ mile link idea out of the public eye until now.
Source - Construction International Newsdesk
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