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| Business groups in rail link call | Business groups in rail link call |
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| Six leading business organisations have written to the Scottish government asking it to reinstate plans for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (Garl). | Six leading business organisations have written to the Scottish government asking it to reinstate plans for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (Garl). |
| The groups, which include CBI Scotland, claim axing the link hits job creation, increases traffic congestion and damages "international connectivity". | The groups, which include CBI Scotland, claim axing the link hits job creation, increases traffic congestion and damages "international connectivity". |
| They have offered to meet ministers to discuss ways of salvaging the project. | They have offered to meet ministers to discuss ways of salvaging the project. |
| The £120m scheme was scrapped in September amid growing concerns about public spending plans. | The £120m scheme was scrapped in September amid growing concerns about public spending plans. |
| In a letter to Finance Secretary John Swinney, the heads of CBI Scotland, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) and Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) expressed their "profound disagreement" with the decision. | In a letter to Finance Secretary John Swinney, the heads of CBI Scotland, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) and Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) expressed their "profound disagreement" with the decision. |
| This is a critical piece of a wider jigsaw, not just for Glasgow, but would incorporate the first stage of a wider connectivity to other parts of Scotland, as a building block for both cross rail and faster west coast connectivity Liz CameronScottish Chambers of Commerce | This is a critical piece of a wider jigsaw, not just for Glasgow, but would incorporate the first stage of a wider connectivity to other parts of Scotland, as a building block for both cross rail and faster west coast connectivity Liz CameronScottish Chambers of Commerce |
| The letter states: "In our view, the Garl project is not only desirable but affordable. | The letter states: "In our view, the Garl project is not only desirable but affordable. |
| "It has been cancelled only as a result of the Scottish government's priorities lying elsewhere and ministers' decisions not to use the full range of funding options and revenue streams with regard to infrastructure development. | "It has been cancelled only as a result of the Scottish government's priorities lying elsewhere and ministers' decisions not to use the full range of funding options and revenue streams with regard to infrastructure development. |
| "In the spirit of partnership, we would be happy to sit down with the Scottish government and others to discuss possible ways forward." | "In the spirit of partnership, we would be happy to sit down with the Scottish government and others to discuss possible ways forward." |
| The letter ends by asking Mr Swinney to "take our concerns seriously and seek to reintroduce Garl into the government's spending plans" for the next financial year. | The letter ends by asking Mr Swinney to "take our concerns seriously and seek to reintroduce Garl into the government's spending plans" for the next financial year. |
| The chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Liz Cameron, said Garl was still affordable. | The chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Liz Cameron, said Garl was still affordable. |
| The rail link would have cost £120m | The rail link would have cost £120m |
| "This is a critical piece of a wider jigsaw, not just for Glasgow, but would incorporate the first stage of a wider connectivity to other parts of Scotland, as a building block for both crossrail and faster west coast connectivity," she said. | "This is a critical piece of a wider jigsaw, not just for Glasgow, but would incorporate the first stage of a wider connectivity to other parts of Scotland, as a building block for both crossrail and faster west coast connectivity," she said. |
| "Scotland's economy will only grow if we have an effective transport infrastructure which is supportive of both the public and private sectors' contribution to that." | "Scotland's economy will only grow if we have an effective transport infrastructure which is supportive of both the public and private sectors' contribution to that." |
| The decision to drop the rail link - announced during the Scottish Government's draft budget statement in September - has provoked widespread criticism. | The decision to drop the rail link - announced during the Scottish Government's draft budget statement in September - has provoked widespread criticism. |
| Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell accused the Scottish government of being "anti-Glasgow". | Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell accused the Scottish government of being "anti-Glasgow". |
| He said ministers spent billions in the east and north east while "giving Glasgow the crumbs off the table". | He said ministers spent billions in the east and north east while "giving Glasgow the crumbs off the table". |
| 'Defining moment' | |
| Mr Swinney denied that accusation but said some "tough decisions" had to be taken given the pressures on public finances. | Mr Swinney denied that accusation but said some "tough decisions" had to be taken given the pressures on public finances. |
| He said the government was fulfilling its commitments to complete the M74 and to put in place the Fastlink initiative to increase connections within Glasgow. | He said the government was fulfilling its commitments to complete the M74 and to put in place the Fastlink initiative to increase connections within Glasgow. |
| Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said the government's response to the letter from the "big six" business organisations would be "a defining moment for the SNP". | |
| "Their support for Garl is a damning indictment of John Swinney's decision and SNP policy," he said. | |
| "The finance secretary and Alex Salmond now have the choice whether or not they reshape the budget to support jobs and the economy." |