Euro 2008 needs St Andrews railway
31, 07 01 21:02
Referring to the proposed new Dundee football stadium Cllr Jane Ann Liston said, ‘This means that players, officials and spectators will be looking for good accommodation near Dundee. St Andrews has suitable accommodation, but the present infrastructure is totally inadequate. The road network is not enough especially because of the limited capacity of the Tay Road Bridge. If however St Andrews were reconnected to the rail network, with both northbound and southbound access, then the hotels of this town which is already used to catering for large sporting events will be able to benefit. It is also conceivable that St Andrews accommodation could be used by people travelling to Edinburgh, as Murrayfield will be the Edinburgh venue and it is very close to Haymarket, an hour at most from St Andrews by rail.’
Cllr Liston said that the importance of infrastructure could not be underestimated. ‘Already we have seen Turnberry lose the 2004 Open Championship to Troon because all the former could offer was a park and ride; Troon on the other hand has a railway. Indeed if St Andrews were not the Home of Golf I am certain we would have been dropped from the Open circuit by now.’
‘The whole of Scotland is supposed to benefit from Euro 2008, should we be awarded it. We must not let our town miss out on the benefits due to inadequate transport links.’
Cllr Liston said that the importance of infrastructure could not be underestimated. ‘Already we have seen Turnberry lose the 2004 Open Championship to Troon because all the former could offer was a park and ride; Troon on the other hand has a railway. Indeed if St Andrews were not the Home of Golf I am certain we would have been dropped from the Open circuit by now.’
‘The whole of Scotland is supposed to benefit from Euro 2008, should we be awarded it. We must not let our town miss out on the benefits due to inadequate transport links.’