Plans for Edinburgh Airport – M8 link ‘under consideration’
14.05.08
Plans for a direct motorway link from the M8 to Edinburgh Airport are being considered, according to a blueprint to transform the west of the city the Scotsman reports. The revised masterplan recognises the need to tackle the increasing volume of traffic in the area and includes the half-mile stretch of motorway ruled out in the last draft of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework (WEPF) published in 2006.
Last August officials from the then Scottish Executive argued the new road would have almost no impact on traffic levels, reducing congestion by just 1 percent. However, it later emerged the officials had failed to take into account the 90-acre RBS headquarters site at Gogarburn, which opened in 2005, or plans for other major developments nearby. Revised projections show the link is likely to cut traffic levels by 14 percent.
The newspaper suggest that, if approved, the new road would be built between the Claylands and Hermiston junctions on the M8 north to the A8 near the RBS headquarters.
David Johnston, managing director of the airport, said: ‘Good road access will continue to be vital and I am delighted the framework has supported the need for new and improved roads to the airport. A new road connecting the airport with the M8 could bring massive benefits in terms of reduced congestion.'
Neil Greig, head of policy in Scotland for the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: ‘The M8 link is definitely one they need to look at again. The trams will make a difference for travel to the airport, but we still need a good roads network serving the airport.’
The framework also allocates land to both the north and south of Edinburgh Airport to enable it to handle as many as 23 million passengers by 2030.
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