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jonno22

Hi all. Below is the Glasgow's Evening Times Newspaper report regarding the announcement of scrapping the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Project which was announced this afternoon by Scotland's Finance Secretary, John Swinney.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/d...530401.0.0.php

Best Regards

Jonathan McGurk

Railway and Freelance Photographer

www.jonathanmcgurk.fotopic.net

james73 · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

Rail link decision 'anti-Glasgow' (BBC)

Scottish ministers have been accused of being "anti-Glasgow" over the decision
to axe the Glasgow Airport Rail Link amid concerns about spending cuts.

The city council said the move was "a dagger in the heart" to the west of
Scotland economy.

The rail link involved plans to upgrade five-and-a-half miles of track and
lay one mile of track between Paisley St James Station and Glasgow Airport.
A spur would then have been built from Paisley to Glasgow Airport.

'Vital link'

The leader of Labour-controlled Glasgow City Council, Steven Purcell, hit
out at the SNP government over its decision to axe the plan.

He said: "The Glasgow Airport Rail Link is a vital piece of the infrastructure
needed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the continued economic
growth of the west of Scotland.

"The SNP has today taken that from us and offered us part funding for a
bus lane. That is the worst deal in modern history.

"The Scottish Government has a clear anti-Glasgow agenda. They are
investing billions of pounds in the east and north east of Scotland, with
projects such as the new Forth crossing, and giving Glasgow the crumbs
off the table."

Alistair Watson, chairman of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, said:
"We are deeply disappointed at the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport
Rail Link particularly as SPT has campaigned for the project for 20 years.

"We hope that it doesn't prejudice the Commonwealth Games as the airport
link is central to the bid."

He said that if problems with rising costs had arisen these had developed
after the time that SPT was the lead agency on the project.

"Every cloud has a silver lining though and we welcome the government
support for our Bus Rapid Transit system know as Fastlink," he added.

The decision was also criticised by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief
executive Stuart Patrick who described it as "intensely disappointing".

"It is disturbing that the first round of cuts has seen the axing of a vital
capital infrastructure project that would have directly benefited business,"
he said.

"The case for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link was overwhelming. It would
have played a vital role in the integrated transport system in the west of
Scotland as a whole, providing desperately needed relief for the grossly
congested M8, thereby speeding up the business process."

Mr Patrick said the link would also "have safeguarded jobs, grown the
economy of the region and boosted the importance of Glasgow Airport
within the Scottish economy".

The planned rail link would have seen four trains run between Glasgow
and the airport every hour, with a stop in Paisley.

James H
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The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....

james73 · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject:

jonno22 · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject:

I agree with you on that point James. Fair shout;)

Best Regards

Jonathan McGurk

Stuball · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:36 pm Post subject:

They need to stop messing about and just get it done. Take a look at most other countries rail networks... ours are embarrassing
_________________
Now coming at you with 95% more significance, 1% less salt and virtually fat free!

FLICKR GALLERY

Saltmarketeer · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:43 pm Post subject:

I'm in two minds about the rail link for the following reasons...

On one hand I think it's a great idea to have a high-speed express link to our main airport using mostly existing infrastructure.

On the other hand I think some politicians are saying more than their prayers. In one breath they promise all sorts of stuff on the back of winning the Commonwealth Games but in the next are saying that budget cuts are necessary to keep the books balanced.

Fair enough, keep the books balanced and make sure initial estimates of £8m are in the ballpark for the real cost. I'd love to know, though, how much money has been pissed away on pointless surveys, consultations and studies. If my last job is anything to go by then consultants usually swallow the lions share of the money leaving very little for anything to be built.

I mean how far IS it from Paisley Gilmour Street to the airport? How much would it really cost to build a spur from there to the airport? Surely between them BAA, the Scottish Executive and the various Local Authorities could come up with enough funding for it.

As for Purcell, he's a slimy wee two-faced bug-eyed prick. He couldn't find his arse with a map and a torch. Maybe charging his mates at FirstBus a penalty for all the congestion their buses cause in the town centre might raise a few bob.
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Oh no, said Thomas, I sound like an out of work Beatle

james73 · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:00 pm Post subject:

james73 · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:39 pm Post subject:

Row over rail link cost rise (Evening Times)

TRANSPORT agencies involved in the Glasgow Airport Rail Link have moved
to dodge blame for the spiralling costs.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, airport owners BAA and Transport Scotland
were all involved in planning and pricing the project.

The cost increase blamed by the SNP Government when it axed the link last
week centred on work to move fuel tanks, a car park and a private nursery
to allow the line to be brought to the terminal.

First Minister Alex Salmond was told the decision would make Glasgow and
Scotland a "laughing stock" on the world stage as the link was a key part of
the Commonwealth Games bid.

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell said he has gone back on a promise
and Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, was
concerned about the message it sent out internationally.

Initially, the Scottish Parliament was told by SPT it would cost £7.8million to
move the fuel tanks which increased to £16m by the time the project was taken
over by Transport Scotland.

The Scottish Government says that in less than three years the cost of the
moves rose from £7.8m in January 2007 to £70m now.

SPT chairman Alistair Watson said all the initial cost estimates of the project
were approved as accurate by the Scottish Parliament in January 2007, and
that any cost problems arose "after the time that SPT was the lead agency
on the project".

Transport Scotland said costs were seriously underestimated before the project
was handed over to them but a BAA spokeswoman said: "We are disappointed
Transport Scotland underestimated the costs."

The final costs were £37m for the fuel tanks, another £29m for the car park
and other buildings and £4m reimbursement for BAA.

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said that following transfer of responsibility,
Transport Scotland spoke to BAA and Pentland Aviation about the compensation
element which would have had to be paid to relocate the fuel farm which had
not previously been considered.

James H
_________________
The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....

Saltmarketeer · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:03 pm Post subject:

Don't you just love how costs are under-stated when they try to make a project look attractive but when it's cancelled on cost grounds the figures suddenly leap by a factor of 10.

I saw the Edinburgh Parliament forced through the trams package that no-one but the transport companies want. A snip at five hundred million...

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Oh no, said Thomas, I sound like an out of work Beatle

cybers · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject: