Could Glasgow Airport eventually close in favour of Edinburgh?
Plus: Police clear Cammy Day in sex pest probe; Nicola versus Boris selfies; and Pentlands wildfires
Why one transport expert predicts Edinburgh will become Scotland’s only major airport
Glasgow airport will close after high-speed rail reaches Scotland, with flights switching to Edinburgh, one leading transport writer has predicted.
Gareth Dennis, a rail engineer, writer and presenter of the popular Rail Natter podcast, has suggested the surprising turn of event could happen within the next 20 years or so.
His prediction is based on the spread of high-speed rail making domestic flights far less attractive. He also argues that the location of the two airports, on the west of their respective cities, makes Edinburgh far better placed to be Scotland’s main air hub, due to its more central location.
The move might sound unlikely in the short term at least, but it comes as some of the UK’s biggest airlines have ditched Glasgow in favour of Edinburgh, fueling the rapid expansion of international services from the Capital.
ONLY ROOM FOR ONE? Dennis told The Scotsman: “Any transport strategy in Scotland needs to think very clearly about focusing long-distance flights into one airport and making that airport as well connected as possible… The timelines I'm talking about are related to high-speed trains eventually arriving into the city eroding the need for domestic flights.”
EDINBURGH V GLASGOW: If the competition for passengers between Edinburgh and Glasgow Airport was a boxing match, the referee would have called a halt by now. The Capital’s airport is rapidly expanding while Glasgow’s passenger numbers are shrinking almost as quickly. In 2017, Edinburgh served 3.5m more passengers than Glasgow (13.4m v 9.9m), but last year it attracted almost twice as many (15.8m v 8.1m).
GO EAST: Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic have ditched Glasgow for Edinburgh in recent years, with the latter citing the opportunity to expand its services in the Capital as a crucial factor. Other airlines , including JetBlue and Delta, have expanded services to the US, Middle East and elsewhere.
GETTING BIGGER: Edinburgh Airport is investing heavily in expanding its infrastructure and facilities in order to facilitate further growth, with spending increasing to £80m from £52m last year. Priorities include increasing aircraft fuel storage, runway resurfacing and starting work on expanding its terminals.
TRAIN TAKES THE STRAIN: High-speed rail could slash journey times between Scotland and London. Extending HS2 north of the border would cut current journey times of 4hr 20mins to 4hr 30mins by 40/50 mins. A dedicated high-speed line from London to Scotland - currently proposed but not funded or planned in detail - would see journeys cut by a further 40mins to around 3hrs, making rail far quicker than flying for most journeys.
WHEN? With HS2 between London and the Midlands due to be completed by 2033, high-speed lines might reasonably be expected to reach Scotland during the 2040s.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
PENTLANDS WILDFIRES: Firefighters had to tackle two major blazes in the Pentland Hills within 48 hours after the extremely dry Spring weather put the country on high alert for wildfires. Drone footage showed the extent of the larger, second fire which could be seen for miles after breaking out on Friday night.
NICOLA Vs BORIS SELFIES: Nicola Sturgeon will talk about her political career and take part in an audience Q&A in a special event at the Usher Hall in October. Tickets cost from £33 to £73, but fans can book a “meet and greet” including the chance for a photograph with the former First Minister for an extra £75. Five weeks earlier Boris Johnson will be taking part in a similar event at the same venue. He is charging £121 for a similar picture opportunity.
BEACH STABBINGS: Three teenagers have been injured in the latest stabbing near Portobello Beach. A 17-year-old and two 18-year-old males were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh following the incident on Bath Street and Mentone Avenue at around 11pm on Saturday. It is the third stabbing reported in the area in recent weeks.
CAMMY CLEARED: Police Scotland has concluded there was “no evidence of criminality” after investigating complaints of inappropriate behaviour by former city council leader Cammy Day. The Labour politician quit as council leader after being accused of pestering Ukrainian refugees with sexual questions. Day said the police investigation had been sparked by a “co-ordinated political attack”.
TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT: A re-design and retrofit for two 1960s Edinburgh tower blocks, containing 114 homes, is set to go out to tender later this year. The two blocks, Peffermill and Craigmillar Courts, will enjoy enhanced energy efficiency, improved entrances and lobbys, bigger growing areas for residents, and a soft play area. The work is being carried out on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council.
PRIVATE HOSPITAL EXPANDS: A new hospital ward is to be created at The Spire Shawfair Hospital on the southern outskirts of the city. Planning permission has been granted to create a new extension on land currently used as a service yard, to create eight individual bedrooms with en-suite facilities.
FIREBOMBING CHARGES: Richard Ordish, 18, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the firebombing of a house on Hay Drive in Edinburgh’s Niddrie neighbourhood. He appeared in Edinburgh Sheriff Court to face charges linked to the ongoing “drug gang war” in the Capital.
HIBEE HISTORY: Hibs secured their longest unbeaten run in the league for 77 years with a thumping 4-0 win over Dundee yesterday. Hopes are running high for European football at Easter Road next season under the management of local hero David Gray.
EURO-FEST: The French Institute in West Parliament Square, Edinburgh, is to host Scotland’s second Festival of Europe on 10th and 11th May. Backed by the European Movement in Scotland and a wide range of other organisations, a major theme of the two-day event is “The Future of European Democracy”.
PIC OF THE WEEK
THE BUSINESS
City wood recycling venture to close
An Edinburgh recycling social enterprise, Move On Wood Recycling, is to close in June after seven years of trading.
The organisation runs across Edinburgh and the Lothians, collecting waste wood from small businesses, homes and even large construction sites on behalf of national and multinational building companies.
The timber collected is then taken to its Granton workshop to be cleaned and sorted as timber or upcycled into good quality furniture. Some of the timber is used to build, supply and fit projects for third sector projects.
Tough trading conditions are behind the decision. A statement said: “Like many other charities and businesses, we have found the current economic and funding climate to be extremely challenging,” it said in a statement.
“Despite the hard work and dedication of the team in the last two years to increase all income streams, we have had to make this very tough decision to close.”
The company has stopped its local collections and has ceased taking furniture orders but intends to complete all existing orders ad will continue to accept national collections and operate its timber shop.
POWER PLANT: East Lothian’s Smeaton Nursery and Tearoom, at East Linton, has been granted planning permission to install more than 300 solar panels in part of its walled garden area to reduce its reliance on ‘bought in power.’
BANK LOSS: The Scottish National Investment Bank is looking for its third Chief Executive since its formation less than five years ago. Al Denholm, is to retire later this year following a 40-year career in the investment industry. He will remain in post for at least six months and until a successor is appointed to ensure an orderly transition and will then work with the board in an advisory role until the end of 2026.
TROLLEY CASH: An Edinburgh-based IT professional is stepping into the world of product design with the launch of her debut product – a mobile phone holder for shopping trolleys, created to make trips to the supermarket that bit easier. Sharon Ward, founder of My Trolley Mate, received a £15,000 loan through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme to support production.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
BAD TO VERSE: Celebrate the life and work of “the world’s worst poet” William Topaz McGonogall. The International Ghost Society will state dramatic readings of some of his best known works, such as his (in)famous lament on the Tay Bridge Disaster. McGonagall Night takes place at the Beehive Inn in the Grassmarket on Sunday at 7.30pm.
SACRED PAWS: Former Scottish Album of the Year award winners Sacred Paws visit The Mash House on Friday at 7pm. Expect joyous pop with hypnotic, African-inspired rhythms and a dash of punk attitude.
EASTER PLAY: Watch the Easter story retold live by Cutting Edge Theatre in a free to watch play, designed to be accessible and welcoming to those of all faiths and none. The Easter Play in West Princes Street Gardens on Saturday at 2pm.
QUICK BITES
PUKKA VISIT: Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver surprised staff and customers at Little Capo on Howe Street when he popped in for a visit with daughter River. The restaurant shared the moment on their Instagram account with a pic of Jamie and young River on the step outside.
INDIAN SUMMER: An Indian and Bangladeshi takeaway, The New Hill Station, is taking over the Comiston Road premises previously occupied by Polish Bites, which is relocating, this summer.