Glasgow-Edinburgh Collaboration

The Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration initiative has submitted a response to Transport Scotland’s consultation on initiatives related to the ScotRail Franchise Extension.

Read our submission

Work to implement the package of major Glasgow-Edinburgh rail improvements is to be accelerated.

Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, told Glasgow’s 11th annual State of the City Economy conference that new design contracts would be signed in December. These would facilitate faster delivery of the improvements announced in 2007. Read more…

It is planned that investment in Glasgow-Edinburgh rail routes and services will see up to six trains an hour on the principal route via Falkirk, with express services travelling from city centre to city centre in around 35 minutes. Including investment in other central Scotland routes this could mean as many as thirteen services between the cities every hour.

Restoration of the rail service from Glasgow-Edinburgh via Bathgate and Airdrie is expected to be complete in 2010, with improvements to other routes also in development.

Sara Thiam is to be appointed as a collaboration manager to the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration intiative.

Sara is currently employed by one of the collaboration initiative’s partners, the City of Edinburgh Council, in their city centre development partnership. Talking about her forthcoming role, Sara said, “Cities are the key drivers of the Scottish economy and have undoubtedly played a large part in Scotland’s success in recent years.

“I am looking forward to working with partners on how we can utilise the best of each city for the good of Scotland as a whole.”

Laura Gordon, the first director of the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration initiative, will leave at the end of her contract in February - which had been extended by the collaboration partners. Laura said, “I am extremely pleased to be handing the baton on to such a competent and enthusiastic successor … I believe the need for Scotland’s two principal cities to work together is now firmly instilled in the fabric of businesses in both cities and is recognised as important both locally and nationally.”

Read more…

The 11th annual State of the City Conference has heard from First Minister, Alex Salmond, and city leader, Steven Purcell, about how Glasgow can address the challenges of continuing regeneration in the face of an economic downturn.

The conference saw the presentation of an action plan for implementation of Glasgow’s economic development strategy, A Step Change for Glasgow, and includes Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration as one of its ’step change’ themes. Read more…

Laura Gordon, Director of the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration initiative was the Nexxus Annual Life Science Awards keynote speaker in Glasgow on 12 November. The collaboration initiative recently facilitated Nexxus’s Eastward expansion.

At the annual event, Clydebank-based Vitrology won the award for Most Promising Young Life Science Company, while Dr Gail McConnell - RCUK Academic Fellow at the Centre for Biophotonics, University of Strathclyde - was named Young Life Scientist of the Year.

Nexxus website.

The Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration inititative has sponsored the introduction of a new category in the Scottish Thistle Awards.

The Thistle Awards promotes and rewards excellence in Scotland’s tourism industry. The collaboration initiative has supported the creation of a new category for collaborative ventures. The 2008 winner was Scottish Racing’s Tartan Turf Tour.

Read more about the new category and the 2008 winner…
‘Togetherness can win in the long run’ (Scotland on Sunday, 02/11/2008)

Scottish Thistle Awards
Scotland on Sunday

The Scottish Government has again signalled its support for high-speed rail from London to Scotland. The re-affirmation came as Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, pledged to fund a high-speed line as far as the Scottish border – were he to become Prime Minister.

The Conservatives had earlier drawn criticism for omitting to mention Scotland in their plans for high-speed rail.

In Scotland, meanwhile, a new study by consultants Atkins, has reinforced the case for planned improvements to the principal rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the potential benefits of high-speed rail services. Written submissions were invited by 17 October 2008. Read more…

Download the Glasgow-Edinburgh submission.

The Scottish Thistle Awards were created to showcase tourism business excellence and quality.

There are 11 award categories, open to all types of tourism businesses. This year’s finalists have now been announced, and the winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and gala dinner on Friday 24th October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).

Read more…

BAA, operators of seven UK airports, have been told that they should sell either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport. In addition, the Competition Commission has recommended the sale of two of BAA’s three London aiports. Read more…