No Scottish high speed rail link in near future
Ferry Online Travel News 16/03/2009
The British Airways boss says a high-speed cross-border line won’t happen in his lifetime.
Willie Walsh said the link would be a "fantastic development", but added that neither political party had made the commitment to extending the route any farther than points in northern England.
The airline executive made the comment during a visit to the BA engineering base at Glasgow airport, where he reaffirmed the carrier’s commitment to flights linking Scotland and England.
Walsh, 47 years old, commented: "High-speed rail to Scotland would be a fantastic development but I do not think we are going to see it in my lifetime. We are still years and years away."
He said that the current UK government committed to building a line from Heathrow airport to the Midlands, and that the Conservatives would extend it as far as Leeds.
Walsh stressed that BA was "absolutely committed" to maintaining air links between Scottish and England. Currently, the carrier provides service between Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports and the three airports in London.
A cross-border, high-speed rail link is one of the transport priorities to which the Scottish Government has committed.
A government spokesperson said: "We are very keen to progress this project and are looking to work with Westminster on the issue."
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