We tend to use 'direct 8 mile final Runway 05/06/23/24' as a standard in the Scottish TMA. If the pilot wants something else then he normally says so (some turboprops seem to like 6 miles for example).
Not only do we know where the pilot is aiming for, it keeps us squeaky clean with SRG as well.
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10 West
UK ATC'er
[email protected]