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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Edinburgh rail link to be dropped | Edinburgh rail link to be dropped |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A major plank of the previous Scottish Executive's transport policy is to be scrapped by the SNP administration. | A major plank of the previous Scottish Executive's transport policy is to be scrapped by the SNP administration. |
| Plans for a £650m Edinburgh Airport rail link will instead be replaced by other transport improvements. | Plans for a £650m Edinburgh Airport rail link will instead be replaced by other transport improvements. |
| The Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (Earl) would have linked the city centre, as well as a further 60 railway stations, to the rapidly-growing airport. | |
| Critics, including the SNP, said it was a costly scheme and that the money could be better spent. | Critics, including the SNP, said it was a costly scheme and that the money could be better spent. |
| In June, the Scottish Government suffered its first major Holyrood defeat when MSPs voted against SNP plans to scrap the new £600m tram system for Edinburgh. | In June, the Scottish Government suffered its first major Holyrood defeat when MSPs voted against SNP plans to scrap the new £600m tram system for Edinburgh. |
| Preparatory work on the project is now under way and it is scheduled to be completed by January 2011. | Preparatory work on the project is now under way and it is scheduled to be completed by January 2011. |
| 'Cheaper alternatives' | 'Cheaper alternatives' |
| However, Earl which would have diverted the east coast and Edinburgh to Glasgow rail lines through the airport by an underground tunnel was not saved by parliament. | However, Earl which would have diverted the east coast and Edinburgh to Glasgow rail lines through the airport by an underground tunnel was not saved by parliament. |
| Now it appears that an extra railway station, near the tramline, will be used improve connections to the airport from the north of the city. | Now it appears that an extra railway station, near the tramline, will be used improve connections to the airport from the north of the city. |
| The Glasgow to Edinburgh line could also be electrified to bring the two cities closer together. | The Glasgow to Edinburgh line could also be electrified to bring the two cities closer together. |
| The Scottish Greens said the new airport tram link was sufficient. | The Scottish Greens said the new airport tram link was sufficient. |
| The party said it did not want a scheme that might encourage even more people to fly. | The party said it did not want a scheme that might encourage even more people to fly. |
| Alex Johnstone MSP, Conservative transport spokesman, also welcomed the decision. | Alex Johnstone MSP, Conservative transport spokesman, also welcomed the decision. |
| He said: "Right from the start, Scottish Conservatives have led the way in pressing for a serious examination of cheaper alternatives to Earl." | He said: "Right from the start, Scottish Conservatives have led the way in pressing for a serious examination of cheaper alternatives to Earl." |
| He said the SNP "appear to agree with us and are putting in place a sensible, achievable, value for money means of connecting Edinburgh Airport to the national rail network". | He said the SNP "appear to agree with us and are putting in place a sensible, achievable, value for money means of connecting Edinburgh Airport to the national rail network". |