EDINBURGH

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by LFT

".....dedicated access to/from the M8 for the airport......."

It's a mile or thereabouts from the M8 to the roundabout at the Hilton, if GIP want an access let them pay for it, not the long suffering Scottish Taxpayer (EARL,Trams etc).

I expect GIP will be looking at ways of improving access to their latest purchase. I can't see why they wouldn't, they will want to be able to bring people to their asset as easily as possible. There was a story about the new owners of EDI being made to help with improvement works on road access to the terminal, I can only hope that was one of the conditions of the sale. There is no way anyone can seriously suggest EDI's road access is up to scratch, regardless of their postcode!

Airport suitors told to drive forward access road revamp - Edinburgh - Scotsman.com

[Bartek]

Indeed it would be practically impossible for anyone to suggest EDI's transport set-up was fit for purpose, though depressingly easy for the more paranoid from certain locales to hope that things never improve. That's what all the sulking is all about, after all.

I suspect GIP will shortly be tearing up BAA's bereft surface access strategy document and replacing it with something far more visionary in due course.

[edi_local]

BAA had a surface access strategy?

I also hope GIP ramp up the bus access options to EDI. I mean several buses go right past the door, along the A8, but don't stop at the airport. They stop at a useless bus stop alongside the dual carriageway and then you have to walk down a muddy path to get to Scotlands premier airport!

Falkirk, Linlithgow, Stirling, Larbert, all served by the 38 which passes by 4 times an hour (twice in each direction) but doesn't call in! That's got to be of benefit to staff and passengers from those areas.

BAA gave us a lovely little bus stance area outside the terminal, yet they never had any public coaches stop there, even though citylink, megabus and national express go past the door too!

Look at the likes of STN, LGW, LHR, MAN, BHX, even GLA has coach links to other areas of Scotland, no excuse why EDI can't be a stop on some of the national coach routes. It would be espeically useful to those in Fife, Tayside and Pethshire to have direct public transport links to EDI, at least until the rail network is brought up to scratch, it doesn't take much to launch a bus service!

[Bartek]

Originally Posted by edi_local

BAA had a surface access strategy?

They went through the motions, yes, but the end product always fell short.

Before GIP took over at the start of June BAA had launched a "consultation" on surface access strategy. The consultation period ends on 23 July 2012.

Edinburgh Airport:Public transport drive takes off

Thankfully it'll be GIP driving forward the conclusions!

[LFT]

"... M74, Commonwealth Games ...?

Point proven, I feel."

M74? It's around 6 miles east of Glasgow International Airport?

"Commonwealth Games" - Which one, Edinburgh 1970 or Edinburgh 1986?

[Porrohman]

I'm not sure why some people have been calling for a direct road link from Edinburgh Airport to the M8. The stretch of M8 between Hermiston Gait and the Newbridge junction is already a horrendous bottleneck during the peak hours and adding airport traffic would just make matters worse. If people think that such a link would improve journey times then I suspect they haven't used that stretch of the M8 during peak hours. Outside peak hours, journey times via Newbridge or Gogar are quite acceptable so I think there are plenty of better uses for the very limited public finances than building a direct road link between the airport and the M8 motorway.

A better road link (or links) between the airport and the A8 dual carriageway would be welcome but I wonder whether any such improvements should be provided entirely at taxpayer's expense or whether the airport owner should have to fund them, at least to some extent.

[GustyOrange]

I'm struggling to understand Mr Curry's obvious disappointment at the Dalmeny chord being cancelled.

Over the years on various forums he has complained about government money being wasted on the city of Glasgow and its undeserving citizens (his words). M74, Commonwealth Games etc spring to mind right away.

Now we've discovered that c£300M will be saved by not providing a link between the city of Glasgow and Edinburgh airport, much to the detriment of the city of Glasgow, one would presume and he finds cause to complain.

Anyone?

G

[Joe Curry]

A better road link (or links) between the airport and the A8 dual carriageway would be welcome

If you check past BAA master plans you will discover a road link from the A8
just east of Ratho Station village. Updated master plans have erased this link. Perhaps a GIP future master plan will restore it? Let's not forget the proposed BAA private access road from Gogar (City bypass) that seemingly got lost before planning consent was applied for?

[farci]

Now we've discovered that c£300M will be saved by not providing a link between the city of Glasgow and Edinburgh airport, much to the detriment of the city of Glasgow, one would presume and he finds cause to complain.

Characterising the loss of the Dalmeny chord as a poke in the eye for Glasgow sounds petty and, in my opinion as a Glaswegian, typifies the low level of debate between neighbouring cities.

This rail development was about much more than a few Weegies getting to Embra airport and its cancellation is a blow to the whole transport strategy for the Scottish central belt, an area with poor levels of car ownership.

As was said earlier - at least provide direct bus links into the airport

[Porrohman]

Have people noticed how many transport infrastructure projects in the UK are dreamed up, then feasibility studies are carried out and sometimes detailed plans are produced but then rarely is anything built and the whole process starts over again many years later with the same outcome. In the meantime huge amounts of taxpayers money are spent on lawyers, planners, architects, surveyors, environmental studies, planning enquiries, public enquiries etc etc etc and very little is ever built. Could it be that all these schemes are just pipe dreams with the sole purposes of supporting gainful employment for all those involved?

This isn't just limited to Edinburgh or Scotland, it isn't limited to one political party or another and it isn’t just a recent trend. It's repeated across the UK by all political parties and all levels of government and it’s been going on for a great many decades. If the UK spent less money on countless pipe dreams and instead focused its money on actually building things we'd have a much better transport infrastructure.

I'm sure that Sir Humphrey Appleby from Yes Minister could wax lyrical about the subject. I can see him now...

Sorry.... rant over

[Porrohman]

As I said in an earlier post, people from the west will still be able to connect to the tram for Edinburgh Airport via Edinburgh Park station.

At least EGIP is actually going ahead and it will be a significant benefit to a great many people in Scotland, despite being scaled back somewhat.

[Joe Curry]

A lot of construction projects seemingly ongoing at EDI.. Big batching plant
appeared in the vicinity of the old RAF hangar. Test bores in various locations
with theodolites appearing here and there. Looks interesting for future
improvements.

[Porrohman]

This is presumably the first of the NOTAMs related these works;

29th July 23:00 to 16th Aug 06:00, SUN-THU 2300-0600 Taxiway Alpha closed between A8 and A14 due to work in progress. Backtracks and alternative taxi routes may be required

Source; https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWe...trievalByICAOs

For details about where A8 and A14 are, see the Aerodrome Chart on the NATS website; NATS | AIS - Home

I believe that Taxiways Lima and Mike will also be upgraded but I don't know what the resulting PCNs will be.

[121decimal375]

Another good route for EDI, my money is on daily service from next summer

Edinburgh Airport:New Hub for Scotland as Inaugural Istanbul Flight Begins

[BAladdy]

BA to op 767 to LHR W12/13

BA plan to operate a 767 on the following EDI-LHR flights this winter

BA1435 EDI 07:10 LHR 08:35 767 D
BA1441 EDI 10:35 LHR 12:00 767 x7
BA1445 EDI 13:10 LHR 14:35 767 7
BA1459 EDI 18:20 LHR 19:45 767 7

BA1434 LHR 08:00 EDI 09:20 767 x7
BA1442 LHR 10:50 EDI 12:15 767 7
BA1452 LHR 15:50 EDI 17:15 767 7
BA1456 LHR 19:15 EDI 20:40 767 6
BA1464 LHR 21:00 EDI 22:25 767 x6

[SN146]

As from the end of October Brussels Airlines is to launch a daily BRU-EDI flight (except Saturdays), operated with A319.

As from spring next year, the new route will be increased to 2 daily fights and include a night stop service.

The codeshare of SN with bmi regional on their E145 service between EDI and BRU is to terminate at the start of the self operated service.

[Skipness One Echo]

Sad to say but this is what I predicted when Regional was sold. I would expect Swiss and SAS to move on ZRH and CPH now as well.

[SN146]

I don't know about LX or SK, but it sure looks to me like SN is aiming at kicking BD off the route.

The initial schedule is going to be just once daily (with an A319), but it will go to twice daily within a couple of months after launch, thus offering good connectivity at BRU which BD will no longer be able to offer and on top of that Brussels Airlines will of course be taking with them all the STAR alliance feed as well as most corporate contracts at the BRU end too, so I fear there's not much of a solid business case left for BD to continue this route with their much higher CASM E-jets?

[SWBKCB]

A daily then double daily 319 is some jump in capacity - seems optimistic?

[CabinCrewe]

The double daily reverts down to an Avro RJ85. The BMIr ERJ three times daily had around 140 seats available daily so not a huge increase (if indeed BMIr as expected go)