Lib Dems Push for High Speed Rail for Edinburgh

7.35.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 9th Sep 2009

Commenting on the recent report of the Government's Climate Change Committee that the UK may have to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 90% by 2050 so air transport can continue to grow Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh has called for expansion of UK airports to stop.

"Unlike my Labour opponent I have always opposed the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. All political parties should now take a stand against any expansion of air travel inside, in and out of the UK" said Fred Mackintosh "Investment should instead be in High Speed Rail to connect Scotland to London and onto the continent."

Today Lib Dem City Transport Convenor Gordon Mackenzie represented Edinburgh at the launch of a campaign by the Leaders of 11 major British cities - Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield - to push for a high-speed rail network serving the entire country.

Councillor Mackenzie said: "The campaign is deliberately focused on the importance of building a whole network to link all our major economic centres together, not simply a sterile debate about where a first route should go."

The Liberal Democrats are committed to High Speed rail to Scotland as a major plank of their plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions from air travel.