MSP suggests buying airport

A LABOUR MSP has suggested the Scottish Executive should offer to buy Edinburgh airport to save money on the proposed airport rail link.

Backbencher Charlie Gordon, former leader of Glasgow council and a member of the Scottish Parliament committee looking at the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill, said a purchase could work out cheaper than funding the project, currently priced at 650m.

Mr Gordon said to Transport Minister Tavish Scott, who appeared before the committee yesterday,

"Edinburgh Airport could be a nice little earner, and it may well be with that income stream the considerable capital costs associated with EARL could be mitigated somewhat."

But Mr Scott said buying the airport was "not currently part of our thinking."