Glasgow suffers through having no rail link from the airport to the city centre. There is no surer way of sucking the lifeblood out of a locality than to fail to provide adequate transport links. [Full article requires subscription. -RS]
(Permalink) Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Trams Glasgow Airport

Passengers travelling from Edinburgh to London's airports will for the first time be able to purchase their express rail tickets into the capital from ticket agents in Scotland.
The idea has been brought in to encourage passengers to use the train travelling out of the airport, as research revealed that customers could save a combined £163m a year and 234 million minutes if they took the train from the airport into London, rather than relying on taxi services.
(Permalink) Edinburgh Airport Ticketing

The Strategic Rail Authority has set out its priorities in Scotland for the next ten years. Edinburgh Waverley is to be re-built with further through platforms at a cost of £400 million. This work will involve connecting the bay platforms 8&9 and 12&13, raising the glass roof and providing another platform to the south of the station. The work is required as the station will reach capacity in the next year. Stirling to Alloa is to be re-opened to passengers within 5 years. It is also hoped that Stirling to Kincardine will also re-open to freight. Hamilton to Larkhall is to be re-opened and a Milngavie to Larkhall service to be introduced within 5 years. This may also include the re-opening of the Anniesland to Maryhill curve. Platforms will be extended on the Fife Circle which will allow longer trains to run, increasing passenger capacity. Platforms will also be extended on the Glasgow to Ayr line. Platforms will be extended on the East Kilbride Branch. Platforms will be extended on the Bathgate Branch. TPWS will be fully implemented by 2003. Increased capacity will be provided between Glasgow and Paisley. This could be re-signalling or re-quadrupling the line. Increased capacity will be provided between Glasgow and Kilmarnock. This will probably be through adding a new dynamic loop on the single track section between Barrhead and Kilmarnock which is currently only broken at Lugton. 140 stations are to be modernised. Construction of new interchange stations or re-building of existing stations will include Gourock, Markinch and Partick. Refurbishment for 318s and reliability improvements to 170s. Extension of Sunday services on the Shotts and East Kilbride Lines. A new national test track to be established. As a result of various schemes 6 new stations will open; Alloa, Newcraighall, Brunstane, Gartcosh, Larkhall and Beauly. Longer term plans include East Coast Main Line upgrading (to complete by 2010) and lines to Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh Airport. There is an element of uncertainty as the ScotRail franchise is due for renewal and the future of Railtrack is not clear at this stage. The West Coast Main Line enhancements to allow 140mph running may not go ahead.

(Permalink) Alloa Anniesland Beauly Brunstane Class 170 Class 318 Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Waverley Gartcosh Glasgow Airport Gourock Kincardine Larkhall Markinch Maryhill New station Newcraighall Partick Railtrack SRA ScotRail Stirling TPWS

Awards from the Public Transport Fund announcement by the Scottish Transport minister;
- New station for Gartcosh

- Possible re-location of Stranraer station

- An interchange at Inverkeithing with buses for Edinburgh Airport

- Modifications to SPT rolling stock

- Improvements to stations in East Renfrewshire and East Lothian
(Permalink) Edinburgh Airport Gartcosh Inverkeithing Public Transport Fund Stranraer