Flying phil, you clearly fail to understand the criteria for which each and every JAR 25 regulated departure is required to adhere. A departure from B or C intersection MUST satisfy the regulations, which takes account of an engine failure at the critical moment and either stopping within the remaining distance or becoming airborne and achieving the specified height above all obstacles overhead the required point, be it the end of the runway or clearway. EDI ATC have specifically asked me if I can depart from an intersection in the past week and the required calculations have been performed! This could be due to a slot expiration? Perhaps the Embraer had a slot, and had to wait at A? Or perhaps the embraer required a checklist to be run for a technical reason? Perhaps ATC asked if the Ryanair could Depart from B because he was turning left and the Flybe had to wait because he was turning right and the previous departure had turned right and required spacing? I very much doubt it is about 2 min taxi, as you put it?