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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Business groups in rail link call | Business groups in rail link call |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| 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". |
| The £120m scheme was scrapped in September amid public spending concern. | |
| The Scottish government said the Garl decision was prompted by "Westminster-imposed cuts" to its own budget. | |
| 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. |
| The reality is that for the first time since devolution the Scottish government is facing a real terms cut in the fixed budget available to us from the UK Government Scottish government spokesman | |
| 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. |
| "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 rail link would have cost £120m | |
| A spokesman for the Scottish government said the decision to scrap Garl had been taken "in the face of the UK government's £500m cut to Scotland's budget". | |
| He said: "The reality is that for the first time since devolution, the Scottish government is facing a real terms cut in the fixed budget available to us from the UK government. | |
| "It is now simply unaffordable to commit to Garl in the face of these Westminster-imposed cuts, when vital capital projects across Scotland, such as the M74 completion, M80 upgrade, Forth replacement crossing, improvements to the A9, schools programme, Glasgow's National Indoor Sports Arena and the new Southern General Hospital, must be allocated the capital they need to go ahead." | |
| 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' | '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". | 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. | "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." | "The finance secretary and Alex Salmond now have the choice whether or not they reshape the budget to support jobs and the economy." |