Fast rail 'could cut flights from Scotland by a third'

Published on Friday 5 June 2009 22:28

HIGH-SPEED rail links can reduce the number of flights from Scotland's main airports by a third, campaigners against airport expansion said yesterday.

Faster trains have reduced flights in many European countries, according to a report by AirportWatch Scotland.

Many flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow are short-haul and can be replaced with fast trains, it said. Of all flights from the two airports, 60 per cent were to mainland UK destinations.

"It is very clear that rail has the potential to cut flights at Scotland's main airports by at least a third, if Europe is anything to go by," report author John Stewart said.

"The vast majority of trips made from Scotland's airports are over short distances where a fast, affordable rail service could be a real alternative."

Mr Stewart also criticised plans to expand both airports.

"All the political parties are now committed to introducing some form of high-speed rail service," he said.

"The sooner it happens, the better. Fewer flights would cut climate-change emissions and reduce the noise for communities under the flight paths."