NEWS RELEASE
Thursday 27th September 2007

Edinburgh Airport Rail Link announcement:
Welcome for ditching of EARL project

TRANSform Scotland [1] have welcomed the statement this afternoon (Thursday 27th) from Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP that the Scottish Government intends to ditch the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (EARL), and instead spend the money saved on rail electrification, journey time improvements on the Scottish rail network, and an airport staion at Gogar.

TRANSform Scotland promoted a Gogar rail station, and the associated Dalmeny Chord, as part of its evidence on the EARL Bill during the last Parliamentary session (see link below).

Colin Howden, Director of TRANSform Scotland, said:

"We argued from the start that EARL was a poor project. The previous administration's decision-making was deeply flawed. The insistence upon a tunnel under the Airport shackled the EARL project with a number of serious technical issues, including steep gradients, running of diesel trains underground, emergency egress, and considerable tunnelling risk factors associated with river courses and old mineworks.

"Most importantly, EARL would have led to slower journey times on the mainline Scottish railway. The Scottish Government should concentrate its rail expenditure on upgrading the inter-city network so that Scotland's cities are connected by fast and frequent train services. Journey times between Scotland's major cities have been allowed to become uncompetitive with the car, and it is this that the Government must focus on if it is realistic about tackling climate change emissions from the transport sector.

"Pursuing the EARL project would also have damaged the potential for other, more important rail investment - for example, further upgrades to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street stations, and investment in new rolling stock for Scottish] inter-city and regional services. The Gogar interchange option allows rail access to be provided to Edinburgh Airport in a short timescale and at a reasonable price, and without damaging the rest of the Scottish rail network."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] TRANSform Scotland

TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups.

We can be contacted at 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PR. Tel 0131 243 2690; email <info@transformscotland.org.uk>; web <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk>.

[2] Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (EARL)

TRANSform Scotland gave evidence *against* the EARL project during its Parliamentary Bill process, but in favour of a Gogar interchange station. Our evidence paper (May 2006) is available at <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/2006-05-15_EARL_evidence.pdf>.

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