Edinburgh rail link to airport scrapped

Plans that would have seen a direct rail link from Edinburgh’s city centre to its international airport have been shelved for now, with local councilors claiming the long term costs would outweigh the benefits. Questions of its future remain unresolved, but the plan to forge ahead with a tram system seems to be an imminent reality.

The Scotsman newspaper reported on the aborted project, saying that workers that had begun the job for the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link, the EARL, would likely be laid off soon.

The emphasis of Edinburgh’s public works budget will be placed on the new tram system it wants to install. “Most energy will be going into the trams, which will make a huge difference to the city,” said on local councilor. He did admit that a rail link to the airport was still necessary, but it would take a back seat to the tram project.

The would-be benefits must surely have some Scots up in arms, as the train line was to be connected to the Scottish Rail Network, linking the airport directly with cities like Glasgow and Aberdeen as well as central Edinburgh.