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The
transport system in Scotland is generally well-developed. The
Scottish ParliamentThe Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood" , is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
has control over most elements of transport policy within
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department is responsible for the Scottish
transportTransport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one location to another. Transport is performed by modes, such as air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline and space...
network with
Transport ScotlandTransport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
being the
Executive Agency that is accountable to the
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable GrowthThe Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government...
.
Railways
Scotland has an extensive railway network using cross country links across the country, and connections to
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; local commuter links to the major cities; and freight. Only 29% of the rail network in Scotland (by routes miles) is
electrifiedRailway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to railways and tramways in Great Britain with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each...
, as opposed to 40% across Great Britain as a whole. This results in many trains being run on diesel fuel rather than by overhead electricity.
The railway network is owned by
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
, the non-profit organisation responsible for all of the railway infrastructure. Rail services are provided under franchises awarded by the government. The current holder of the Scottish franchise is
First ScotRailFirst ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London. However, the company has now been renamed ScotRail - Scotland's Railway....
, a division of
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
-based
FirstGroup plcFirstGroup plc is a British transport company operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada and the United States with headquarters in Aberdeen...
. Intercity services are also operated by
CrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva. The company operates a network of express and long-distance train services between a variety of towns and cities outside London.- Formation :...
,
First Transpennine ExpressFirst TransPennine Express is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular services in the north including services linking the west and east coasts of England across the Pennines...
,
National Express East CoastNational Express East Coast is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
and
Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, and from Birmingham New Street to North West England and Scotland, on the West Coast Main Line...
.
On 1 January 2006, a new agency
Transport ScotlandTransport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
was created that would oversee the regulation of railways in Scotland, and administer major rail projects. The Scottish Government, in its time, committed itself to the expansion of the railway network in Scotland, with planned links to the main Scottish airports, and reopening of disused lines in
ClackmannanshireClackmannanshire or Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife....
and the
Scottish BordersThe Scottish Borders or simply the Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan...
.
Cross border services
The main cross border services in Scotland are:
- The West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. It provides fast, long-distance Intercity passenger services between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and southern Scotland....
— operated by Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, and from Birmingham New Street to North West England and Scotland, on the West Coast Main Line...
and First Transpennine ExpressFirst TransPennine Express is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular services in the north including services linking the west and east coasts of England across the Pennines...
- Services from Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Central) and MotherwellMotherwell railway station serves Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on the West Coast Main Line, and is served also by Argyle Line trains of the Glasgow suburban railway network. It is the penultimate stop on the northbound WCML before Glasgow. There are four platforms of various...
to CarlisleCarlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, serves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying 102 miles south of Glasgow Central, and 299 miles north of London Euston...
, PrestonPreston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
, Manchester Piccadilly, WiganWigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south of Preston, west-northwest of Manchester, and east-northeast of Liverpool. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre...
, WarringtonWarrington is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. The population of the borough of Warrington, including its 18 civil parishes, is around 194,000...
, CreweCrewe is a town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, RugbyRugby railway station serves the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. It opened during the Victorian era, in 1885, replacing earlier stations situated a little further west...
and London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
(EustonEuston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station*Euston tube station...
)
- East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
— operated by National Express East CoastNational Express East Coast is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
- Services from Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Central), Motherwell, EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, North BerwickThe Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
and DunbarDunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 30 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border at Berwick-upon-Tweed.Dunbar is a former Royal Burgh and gave its name to an ecclesiastical and civil parish...
to Berwick Upon Tweed , NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
, DurhamDurham is a city in the North East of England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county....
, DoncasterDoncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is located about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
, PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
and London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
(Kings Cross)
- Services from Inverness
Inverness is a city in northern Scotland. The city is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is promoted as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
, DundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It lies on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea....
, PerthPerth is a former royal burgh in central Scotland. Sitting on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative headquarters of Perth and Kinross council area. According to the 2001 census, its population is 43,450...
and StirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and mediæval old-town beside the River Forth...
to Berwick Upon Tweed, NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
, DurhamDurham is a city in the North East of England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county....
, DoncasterDoncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is located about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
, PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
and London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
(Kings Cross)
- Cross Country Route
The North-East/South-West route is the major British rail route running from South West England via Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds to North-East England. It facilitates some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK, eg Penzance to Aberdeen...
— operated by CrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva. The company operates a network of express and long-distance train services between a variety of towns and cities outside London.- Formation :...
- Services from Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
, DundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It lies on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea....
, GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Central), Motherwell, EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
(WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
) to ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
, BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
, SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
, BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
and the South West.
- Overnight sleeper services
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera....
— operated by First ScotRailFirst ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London. However, the company has now been renamed ScotRail - Scotland's Railway....
- Services from Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Fort William, Glasgow and Edinburgh to London
Scottish services
Within Scotland, all services are operated by First ScotRail on behalf of
Transport ScotlandTransport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
. Until autumn 2005, services within the former
Strathclyde Regional Council arearightStrathclyde is one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
were provided by First ScotRail on behalf of
Strathclyde Partnership for TransportThe Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
.
Recent expansion of the rail network in Scotland has seen the addition of a new line from Hamilton to
LarkhallLarkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.The name Larkhall or Laverock 'Ha first appears in journals around 1620. The origins of the name are unknown, although Laverock is the Scots translation of "Lark."...
. Other new lines planned include links to
GlasgowGlasgow International Airport is located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland....
and
Edinburgh AirportEdinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2008, handling 9,006,702 passengers. It was also the seventh busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
s; re-opening of the line between
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
and the
Scottish BordersThe Scottish Borders or simply the Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan...
; and re-opening of the line between
StirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and mediæval old-town beside the River Forth...
,
AlloaAlloa is a small burgh in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, 7 miles to the east of Stirling, on the north bank of the River Forth. The town was a burgh of barony, and at one time of considerable commercial importance but is now relatively insignificant...
and Kincardine.
The table below shows all the major railway lines in Scotland.
{{Railway lines in Scotland}}
History
The first "proper" railway in Scotland was the Garnkirk and Glasgow, opened in 1831. The first inter-city railway was the Edinburgh and Glasgow, opened in 1842. By 1850 Scotland's major cities were linked to each other and to the English rail network. The 2nd half of the 19th century saw a rapid expansion and by 1900 virtually every town of more than 2,000 population on the Scottish mainland had a railway station. At the same time trains became more comfortable, faster and more frequent whilst the cost of travel declined relative to wages. Nevertheless there were probably
never more than 100 million or so journeys made per year within Scotland, little more than 20 per head of population, illustrating how most people had little need, financial means or desire to travel long distances. Railways did, though, play an important part in moving freight, especially heavy loads such as coal, iron and steel, and played a vital role in the 1st World War.
After World War 1 the independent Scottish companies were merged into the London Midland and Scottish and London and North Eastern companies. A Scottish company had been considered, but rejected as being probably not financially viable. Since the 1920s and 30s saw a decline in passenger and freight business, this was probably a correct judgement. At this time some lesser-used lines were closed to passenger traffic. After World War 2 the railways were nationalised. Very quickly the Scottish Region moved into a position where revenue was not covering operating expenses and after 1951 closures resumed. The pace of such closures accelerated after the Beeching Report of 1963 though some of the recommended closures did not take place after Ministers of Transport refused consent on grounds of hardship, a concept which was open to wide interpretation. Freight services were also withdrawn from the majority of stations and concentrated on larger depots and private sidings. At the same time steam traction was replaced by diesel, with most of the Glasgow suburban and commuter network being electrified, in addition to both of the main lines to England. This allowed acceleration of Anglo-Scottish services, with the Edinburgh-London service down from 7–8 hours in the 1950s to 4–5 hours today. However the reduction in the cost of air travel has seen the market share of rail in the Edinburgh/Glasgow to London route down considerably in recent years, as even with the time taken to travel to airports and check in, rail is unable to compete on journey time (unlike on routes such as London to Manchester).
The closure programme slowed down after the Transport Act of 1968 made it possible for the government to directly subsidise loss-making lines and the last major closure was the direct Edinburgh-Perth line in 1970. Since then a number of lines have been re-opened, and stations opened on existing lines. The railways were privatised in 1995 with Scottish railways forming a separate franchise. Services across the border are divided between England-based franchises, though
First ScotRailFirst ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London. However, the company has now been renamed ScotRail - Scotland's Railway....
operates the sleeper services to London.
Rapid transit
The
Glasgow SubwayThe Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular...
is the only underground system in Scotland. It is owned and operated by the
Strathclyde Partnership for TransportThe Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
.
Trams and light rail
There are
no tram systems currently in operation in Scotland, although
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
,
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
and
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
formerly had extensive networks. A proposal for an
Edinburgh Tram NetworkThe Edinburgh Trams project is a scheme to build a new tramway in Edinburgh, Scotland. Local public transport had been limited to buses since the closing of the city’s previous Edinburgh Corporation Tramways system on 16 November 1956....
has received Royal Assent and is planned to enter operation in 2011. Glasgow also has plans for a light rail network in the future, however it is likely that it will open first as the 'Clyde Fastlink' guided bus system, with conversion to tram at a later date.
Road
Scotland has an extensive road network throughout the country. The
motorwayThe OECD has defined a motorway as:Motorways are identical to freeways as a road type, and comparable to the United States's Interstate Highways as a classification....
network is concentrated in the
Central beltThe Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically "central", but in fact in the south of the country....
, with dual-carriageways (A roads) connecting the rest of the country.
The main routes in Scotland are:
- The M8 motorway between Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic Renfrewshire, also known as the County of Renfrew or Greater Renfrewshire, the other two being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, Glasgow and Edinburgh
- The M74 motorway
The A74 and M74 motorways are two major motorways in Scotland, running continuously from Abington in the southern outskirts of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna. In conjunction with the M6 motorway, it forms one of the two major cross-border routes between Scotland and England. It is part of...
between Glasgow and Carlisle, EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- The M9 motorway between Edinburgh and Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and mediæval old-town beside the River Forth...
- The M90 motorway
The M90 is a motorway in Scotland. It runs from Inverkeithing, at the north end of the Forth Road Bridge, to Perth, passing Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Kinross on the way...
/A90 road between Edinburgh, FifeFife is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. It was originally one of the Pictish kingdoms, known as Fib, and is still commonly known as the Kingdom of Fife within Scotland.It is a...
, PerthPerth is a former royal burgh in central Scotland. Sitting on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative headquarters of Perth and Kinross council area. According to the 2001 census, its population is 43,450...
, DundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It lies on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea....
, AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
and FraserburghFraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
- The M80 motorway
The M80 is a motorway in central Scotland, running through Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Stirling and links the M8 and M9 motorways. 11 miles long, it is currently in two sections; the southern section runs from Glasgow to Stepps, the northern section runs from Haggs to Stirling...
between Glasgow and Stirling
- The M77 motorway
The M77 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. It originally began in southern Glasgow at the M8 motorway at Kinning park, and terminates near Kilmarnock at the village of Fenwick. However, changes were made in autumn 2005 segregating a lane on the M8 motorway almost as far as the Kingston Bridge,...
/A77 roadThe A77 road is a major road in Scotland. It runs in a southwesternly direction from the city of Glasgow, past the towns of Newton Mearns, Kilmarnock, Prestwick, Ayr, Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer to the town of Portpatrick on the Irish Sea...
between Glasgow and KilmarnockKilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,170. It is roughly equidistant between Glasgow and Ayr, and is the second largest town in Ayrshire...
, AyrAyr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde, in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
and StranraerStranraer is a town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
- The A1 road between Edinburgh and London
[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
- The A9 road between Stirling and Scrabster, connecting to the Northlink Ferries
NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Ministers.-Services:...
ferry to StromnessStromness /ˈstrɔmnəs/ is the second-largest town in Orkney, Scotland, and is located in the south-west of Mainland in Orkney. It is also a parish, with the town of Stromness as its capital....
, Orkney
Within the large cities, roads become congested in peak hours. The M8 motorway becomes havily congested in peak hours, especially around Glasgow where it travels through the heart of the city. The main congestion hotposts are in Glasgow City Centre around the
Kingston BridgeThe Kingston Bridge is a balanced cantilever dual-span ten lane road bridge made of triple-cell segmented prestressed concrete box girders crossing the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. The bridge carries the M8 motorway through the city centre...
where a large amount of traffic leaves and enter the road. Also further down the road traffic joining at
HillingtonHillington is a residential suburb and an industrial estate on the southwestern edge of the Scottish city of Glasgow.The industrial estate and the residential area are divided by the Glasgow to Paisley railway line...
Estate and
BraeheadBraehead is a regeneration project in Renfrewshire, Scotland, part of the wider Clyde Waterfront Regeneration. The project includes:*an indoor shopping centre;*ice skating / curling facilities;*the Clydebuilt Scottish Maritime Museum;...
Shopping Centre near
Glasgow AirportGlasgow International Airport is located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland....
can cause hold-ups. Traffic is also extremely heavy between Glasgow and Edinburgh at all times, however rarely comes to a standstill.
Road construction
An extension to the M9 spur to link with the A90 at the Forth Bridge recently opened, as did the new Clackmannanshire Bridge over the Firth of Forth. A controversial extension to the M74 motorway through the southside of Glasgow is also due for completion by 2011. The road, first proposed in the 1960s, was due to be open in 2008 however legal action against the road was brought by environmental group
Friends of the EarthFriends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 77 countries.Friends of the Earth International are the world's largest grassroots environmental network and they campaign on today's most urgent environmental and social issues...
. The action ultimately failed, however the motorway has wide spread opposition after ministers over-ruled the Local Public Inquiry held into the project which recommended that the road not be built, as it would be unable to substantially reduce congestion and would lead to more vehicles and pollution in the area. The Scottish Ministers voted for the road, believing that it will regenerate the inner city of Glasgow's Southside and bring economic benefits to Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and the Southside of Glasgow. Construction cost is estimated at £575 million, and it is Scotland's biggest roads project, and the first motorway to be built in a British urban area for decades.
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MotorwayThe OECD has defined a motorway as:Motorways are identical to freeways as a road type, and comparable to the United States's Interstate Highways as a classification....
s of ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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M73The M73 is a motorway in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is 7 miles long and connects the M74 motorway with the A80 road, providing an eastern bypass for Glasgow. The short stretch between Junctions 1 and 2 is part of unsigned international E-road network E05, where it continues along the M8...
- M74The A74 and M74 motorways are two major motorways in Scotland, running continuously from Abington in the southern outskirts of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna. In conjunction with the M6 motorway, it forms one of the two major cross-border routes between Scotland and England. It is part of...
- M77The M77 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. It originally began in southern Glasgow at the M8 motorway at Kinning park, and terminates near Kilmarnock at the village of Fenwick. However, changes were made in autumn 2005 segregating a lane on the M8 motorway almost as far as the Kingston Bridge,...
- M8 - M80The M80 is a motorway in central Scotland, running through Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Stirling and links the M8 and M9 motorways. 11 miles long, it is currently in two sections; the southern section runs from Glasgow to Stepps, the northern section runs from Haggs to Stirling...
- M876The M876 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. The motorway runs from Denny to Airth in the Falkirk council area, forming an approach road to the Kincardine Bridge. It was opened in 1980....
- M898The M898 motorway is a 1/2 mile motorway in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is a spur route from the M8 motorway towards the Erskine Bridge. It is the highest numbered motorway in the United Kingdom, and the shortest at just a half-mile long. It also lacks hard shoulders along its length...
- M9 - M90The M90 is a motorway in Scotland. It runs from Inverkeithing, at the north end of the Forth Road Bridge, to Perth, passing Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Kinross on the way...
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| A-roads with motorway restrictions |
A74(M)The A74 and M74 motorways are two major motorways in Scotland, running continuously from Abington in the southern outskirts of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna. In conjunction with the M6 motorway, it forms one of the two major cross-border routes between Scotland and England. It is part of...
- A823(M)The A823 is a motorway in Fife, Scotland. It is a 1 mile spur from the M90 into Dunfermline. It is the highest numberbered Ax motorway in the UK. The road provides a fast route for traffic from Dunfermline to the Forth Road Bridge...
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Buses
{{Main|Bus transport in Scotland}}
Scotland is covered by a large bus network throughout many towns, cities and rural areas. It is estimated that 95% of the population live within 5 minutes walk of a bus stop. National and international buses often operate out of main bus stations in the cities, such as Glasgow (Buchanan Street) and Edinburgh (St Andrew Square).
Scottish CitylinkScottish Citylink Coaches Ltd is a long distance express coach operator in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland . The company was formed as a subsidiary of Scottish Transport Group in June 1985...
and
MegabusMegabus can refer to:*Megabus - a low-cost coach service in Great Britain owned by Stagecoach Group*Megabus - a low-cost bus service in the United States and Canada also owned by Stagecoach Group...
are the two principal long distance coach operators within Scotland, and currently operating together as a joint venture, however the deal is being monitored by the competition commission to ensure that it does not unfairly damage long distance bus travel in Scotland.
National ExpressNational Express is the brand under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are marketed, and also the company that manages this network and operates some of the services...
provide coach links with cities in England and Wales, as well as local buses in Dundee and Angus under the
Travel DundeeNational Express Dundee is a bus operator based in Dundee, Scotland and operates services mainly within Dundee City. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Express Group.- History :...
and Travel Wishart brand names.
First Group and
Stagecoach GroupStagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
are two large public transport companies which are based in Scotland at
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
and
PerthPerth is a former royal burgh in central Scotland. Sitting on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative headquarters of Perth and Kinross council area. According to the 2001 census, its population is 43,450...
respectively, and both operate a number of local and regional services.
ArrivaArriva plc is a British-based international public transport operator, headquartered in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear. It has bus and/or rail operations in Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the United Kingdom...
is the only other public transport giant that serves Scotland with its
Arriva Scotland WestArriva Scotland West Ltd is a bus operating subsidiary of Arriva based in Inchinnan, near Paisley, Scotland, trading simply as Arriva. It is currently the group's sole operation in Scotland.-Operation:...
subsidiary, serving
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and
RenfrewshireRenfrewshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic Renfrewshire, also known as the County of Renfrew or Greater Renfrewshire, the other two being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
.
Numerous local independent operators also run bus services throughout Scotland as well as
Lothian BusesLothian Buses Plc is the largest municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. It also serves parts of East Lothian and Midlothian...
, Edinburgh's largest bus operator and Scotland's last council run bus company.
Scotland's bus network, like that of Great Britain outside
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, is deregulated following an act of UK Parliament in 1986. This broke up the former national and city bus companies, formerly run by the local authorities since the 1930s, into private companies. The act also allowed buses to be operated by private companies and individuals for profit, provided they met the financial, background and maintenance requirements to qualify for a license, set down by
VOSAVehicle and Operator Services Agency is a non-departmental public body granted Trading Fund status in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Transport of the United Kingdom Government.-History:...
who administrate the system. A Public Service Vehicle License is then granted to allow a specified number of vehicles to be operated. Using this license firms can then register their routes with the Local Traffic Commissioner for the area, in this case Scotland, indicating the exact route to be operated as well as the times and dates their buses will run. No requirements are set as to when and what routes buses can run, their age and what fares can be charged-this is decided by companies, often by the profitability of the route. Currently only one bus company,
Lothian BusesLothian Buses Plc is the largest municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. It also serves parts of East Lothian and Midlothian...
in
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
, remains under ownership and control of local councils in Lothian and Edinburgh.
From 2015 all buses in Scotland will have to be disabled accessible in order to meet the Disability Discrimination Act. This act has caused a great deal of resentment in the bus industry as it will require a large amount of money to be spent modifying or buying new buses that comply with the act, for what is perceived to be little benefit. It also sees a number of perfectly serviceable buses taken off the road and made worthless before the end of their natural life. In Scotland there are a number of situations where currently no suitable buses are manufactured that could operate due the hilly and uneven road conditions which damage disabled accessible vehicles. The
Isle of ArranArran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
is one example, where extensive road improvements will be required before disabled accessible buses can be operated extensively on the island.
{{Bus operators in Scotland}}
Ferries
As Scotland is made up of several hundred islands, water has always been an important transport route for passengers and freight, particularly in the remote communities of the
HebridesThe Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides...
.
There are several ferry companies operating in Scotland including:
- Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
, a publicly owned ferry company with routes linking the mainland to all the major islands of the West Coast
- Northlink Ferries
NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Ministers.-Services:...
is a state backed company that serves the Orkney IslandsOrkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness...
and Shetland IslandsShetland is an archipelago in Scotland, off the northeast coast. The islands lie to the northeast of Orkney, from the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total area is approximately 1,466 km²...
, linking them with AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
and Scrabster
- Pentland Ferries
Pentland Ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated a ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney since May 2001.-History:...
, car and passenger ferries from Gills Bay (Scottish Mainland) to St. Margaret's Hope (Orkney).
- Smyril Line
Smyril Line is a Faroese shipping company, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland. Previously, it also served Norway and the United Kingdom....
operate a weekly ferry service to from LerwickLerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Great Britain on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
(Shetland IslandsShetland is an archipelago in Scotland, off the northeast coast. The islands lie to the northeast of Orkney, from the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total area is approximately 1,466 km²...
) to Bergen in NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
, TórshavnTórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn. The city itself has a population of 19,000...
on the Faroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe, or Faeroes are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland...
, and SeyðisfjörðurSeyðisfjörður is a village in the Eastfjords of Iceland at the end of the fjord of the same name. A road over Fjarðarheiði mountain pass connects Seyðisfjörður to the rest of Iceland; 27 km to the ring road and Egilsstaðir. Seyðisfjörður is surrounded by mountains on all sides with most...
in IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
- Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
and P&OThe Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, was a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
provide links to Northern Ireland from StranraerStranraer is a town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
and TroonTroon is a town in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is situated on the west coast, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services —...
- Norfolkline
Norfolkline is a European multimodal short sea carrier, a subsidiary of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group. It provides freight ferry services on the English channel, Irish Sea, and the North Sea, passenger ferry services on the English channel and Irish Sea, and logistics services across Europe...
will operate (from May 2009) the Rosyth - Zeebrugge ferry serviceThe ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge has been operated by Norfolkline since 18 May 2009. It was initially operated by Superfast Ferries between May 2002 and September 2008. It is the only direct ferry route between Scotland and Continental Europe....
, formerly operated by Superfast FerriesSuperfast Ferries is a Greece-based ferry company founded in 1993 by Pericles Panagopulos and Alexander Panagopulos. Superfast Ferries is a member of Attica Group and operates 5 ultra-modern car-passenger ferries, offering daily connections between Ancona and Bari and Patras and Igoumenitsa...
- Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd
Western Ferries is a private ferry company with its headquarters in Dunoon, Scotland. It currently operates on the River Clyde running a year-round, high-frequency service between Hunters Quay and Gourock in Inverclyde.-History:...
, a private company, based in DunoonDunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde beside Holy Loch and opposite Gourock.-Waterfront:...
, ArgyllArgyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western seaboard between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath.The early...
, operates on the River ClydeThe River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
, providing a frequent link between DunoonDunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde beside Holy Loch and opposite Gourock.-Waterfront:...
and GourockGourock is a burgh in Inverclyde, Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
in competition with Caledonian MacBrayne.
The
Strathclyde Partnership for TransportThe Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
, formerly Strathclyde Passenger Transport, the only regional passenger executive in Scotland also subsidises and operates ferries on the Clyde including the Kilcreggan Ferry and the
Renfrew FerryThe Renfrew Ferry is a ferry service in Scotland linking the North and South banks of the River Clyde between the area of Yoker in Glasgow and the town of Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
.
The ferry to
GothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest amongst the Nordic countries. Situated on the south-west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 502,833 with 622,287 in the urban area and total of 911,406 inhabitants in the metropolitan area.The City of...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
, from "
NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
" (actually
North ShieldsNorth Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England. It is located eight miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne...
) in northern
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(currently run by the
DanishDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
company
DFDS SeawaysDFDS A/S, an abbreviation of Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab is a Danish shipping company. It is one of the world's largest ferry operators. DFDS was formed in 1866 as a merger of various minor shipping companies under the leadership of industrialist Carl Frederik Tietgen...
), ceased at the end of October 2006. This service was a key route for Scottish
touristScotland is a well-developed tourist destination, with tourism generally being responsible for sustaining 200,000 jobs mainly in the service sector, with tourist spending averaging at £4bn per year . Tourists from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of visitors to Scotland. In 2002 , for example,...
traffic from Sweden and
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. The company cited high fuel prices and new
competitionCompetition is a contest between individuals, groups, nations, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or allocation of resources. It arises whenever two or more parties strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same...
from low-cost air services, especially
Ryanair{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}...
(which now flies to Glasgow Prestwick and London Stansted from
Gothenburg City AirportGothenburg City Airport or Göteborg City Airport , formerly known as Säve Flygplats, is Gothenburg's second international airport located north-west from the centre of Gothenburg on the island of Hisingen, Bohuslän, Sweden. It is located within the borders of Gothenburg Municipality, hence its...
), as being the cause. DFDS Seaways' sister company, DFDS Tor Line, will continue to run scheduled freight ships between Gothenburg and several English ports, including Newcastle, and these have limited capacity for passengers, but not private vehicles. The Newcastle-
Kristiansandis a city, municipality and the county capital of Vest-Agder county in Southern Norway. Kristiansand municipality is the 6th largest in Norway with a population of 80,109 as of 1 January 2009...
, Norway, route has however recently been cancelled.
{{Scottish Ferry Operators}}
Waterways
See also: Canals in Scotland
Scotland never had an extensive canal network. The
Forth and Clyde CanalThe Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
,
Union CanalThe Union Canal is a 31.5 mile contour canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk, where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal.-Location and Features:...
and the
Caledonian CanalThe Caledonian Canal in Scotland connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William. Caledonian Canal is a sister canal of Göta Canal in Sweden, which was also constructed by Thomas Telford.-Route:...
were some of the most important, but went into decline after the growth of the railways. They are now being reopened and restored primarily for leisure use.
Air transport
Scotland has four international airports with scheduled services, operating to Europe, North America and Asia, as well as England and Wales.
- Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2008, handling 9,006,702 passengers. It was also the seventh busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
, which became Scotland's busiest airport in July 2007, serves many European business destinations including ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2008 population of 670,000. The urban area had an estimated population of 2.26 million in 2001...
, ZürichZürich or Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne...
, MilanMilan in Italy, is the capital of the region of Lombardia and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while the urban area is the fifth largest in the E.U. with an estimated population of 4.3 million...
, BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
and CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
. However its long haul network is starting to grow with the addition of a daily flight service to NewarkNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
(for New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
; twice daily in summer) and since May 2008 a daily link to New York's John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in Queens County, New York in southeastern New York City about 12 miles from Lower Manhattan...
.
- Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire, Greater Glasgow, Scotland....
operates a large number of European charter flights and a handful of long haul international routes to United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
. LoganairLoganair is a Scottish airline based at Glasgow International Airport in Scotland. Its registered office is located by the airport in Paisley, Renfrewshire. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles...
has its hub here, with services to the Highland and Islands, and Northern Ireland.
- Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce in the City of Aberdeen, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 3.29 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2008, a reduction of 3.6% compared with 2007, making it the 14th busiest airport in the UK...
operates many domestic and international flights for the people in the north of Scotland, including most UK airports, along with international scheduled destinations such as ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, AmsterdamAmsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country...
, BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
, Oslois the capital and largest city in Norway. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the town was largely destroyed by a fire in 1624. The Danish–Norwegian king Christian IV rebuilt the city as Christiania . Oslo, then an alternative name, became official again in 1925...
, DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
, CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
, BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
, CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
, Majorca and MálagaMálaga is a city in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. It is the second most populous city of Andalusia, the sixth largest in Spain and 43rd-most populous municipality in the European Union, with a population of 566,447 in 2008...
. Many chartered services are also offered.
- Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is an international airport serving Glasgow, situated northeast of the town of Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Although officially called Glasgow Prestwick Airport, because it is from the city, it is often referred to as just Prestwick Airport...
is Glasgow's s second airport, located 29 miles from the city centre in AyrshireAyrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the last seven...
. It serves as the Scottish hub of low cost airline, Ryanair{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}...
with services to the Republic of IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
, ScandinaviaScandinavia is a geographical region in northern Europe that includes, and is named after, the Scanian Province. It consists of the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark...
and LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , and to the southeast by Belarus . Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden...
. Wizz Air{{see also|Wiz }}{{see also|Wiz }}{{see also|Wiz }}{{see also|Wiz }}{{see also|Wiz }}{{see also|Wiz }}{{Infobox Airline|airline = Wizz Air...
provides services to PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
; and Air Arann provides a service to DonegalDonegal is a town in County Donegal, in the Province of Ulster, in Ireland. Donegal is not the county town of County Donegal, despite being its namesake. Rather, the county town is Lifford, and Letterkenny is the county's largest town. Donegal town is situated at the mouth of Donegal Bay, on the...
.
These four airports now serve 107 international destinations in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
,
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
,
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
and
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
.
Highlands and Islands Airports LimitedHighlands and Islands Airports Limited is the company that owns and operates 10 airports in the Scottish Highlands, the Northern Isles and the Western Isles...
operate ten small airports across the
HighlandsThe Scottish Highlands include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east...
, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, which are primarily used for short distance, public service operations, although
Inverness AirportInverness Airport is an international airport situated at Dalcross, northeast of the city of Inverness in Highland, Scotland. The airport is the main gateway for travellers to the north of Scotland with a wide range of scheduled services throughout the UK and Ireland, and limited charter and...
has a number of scheduled flights to destinations across the UK, as well as chartered flights to Europe.
Scotland technically has no national airline, the former
British CaledonianBritish Caledonian came into being in November 1970 when the Scottish charter airline Caledonian Airways, at the time Britain's second-largest, wholly privately owned, independent airline, took over British United Airways , then the largest independent British airline as well as the UK's leading...
which was based in Scotland was taken over by
British AirwaysBritish Airways plc is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Waterside near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport and is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations. Its second hub is London Gatwick...
in the 1980s. Some Scottish-based airlines operating include:
- BMI Regional
BMI Regional is a British regional airline based in Aberdeen, Scotland. BMI Regional is a trading name of British Midland Regional Limited which is a subsidiary of British Midland Airways Ltd. operating scheduled passenger services primarily within the UK...
- a subsidiary of BMIBritish Midland Airways Limited , is a scheduled airline based in Donington Hall in Castle Donington, England, United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport...
which is based at Aberdeen Airport;
- Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways is an airline based at Humberside Airport, England. It operates scheduled domestic services and private charters . Around 700,000 passengers a year are carried on the scheduled route network....
- based at Aberdeen Airport;
- Flyglobespan
Flyglobespan is a British low-cost airline based in Glasgow, Scotland. It operates scheduled services from 5 airports across the UK and Ireland to 24 destinations in Europe, North America and North Africa. Its main bases are Glasgow International Airport, Edinburgh Airport and Aberdeen Airport...
, a low cost airline operating international flights to mainly European holiday destinations from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen;
- Loganair
Loganair is a Scottish airline based at Glasgow International Airport in Scotland. Its registered office is located by the airport in Paisley, Renfrewshire. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles...
- a Flybe franchise (previously operated as a British Airways franchise ) operating between Glasgow International, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness to the Scottish Islands and Northern Ireland.
- Scot Airways- based at Dundee Airport
Dundee Airport is located from the centre of Dundee, Scotland or, for navigation purposes, south of the city. It lies on the shore of the Firth of Tay and overlooks the Tay Rail Bridge....
and Edinburgh.
British Airways,
BMIBritish Midland Airways Limited , is a scheduled airline based in Donington Hall in Castle Donington, England, United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport...
,
FlybeFlybe Limited is a British airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England. It operates around 180 routes between 55 European airports...
, Jet2,
Ryanair{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}{{For|the unrelated U.S. carrier|Ryan International Airlines}}{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}...
and
EasyJetEasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered in Hangar 89 at London Luton Airport, Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom based airline company, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 387 routes between 104...
all operate flights between Scotland and other major UK and European airports.
{{Airports in Scotland}}
See also
- Transport in the United Kingdom
Transport in the United Kingdom is facilitated with well-developed road, air, rail, and water networks. A radial road network totals of main roads, of motorways and of paved roads. The National Rail network of 10,072 route miles in Great Britain and 189 route miles in Northern Ireland carries...
- Transport in England
Transport in England is very well developed. The Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network.- Rail :...
- Transport in Wales
This article is about means of transport within Wales. The geography of Wales has been a key influence on the development of the country's transport system, with the main settlements lying on the coasts of North and South Wales, while Mid Wales is lightly populated...
- Transport in Northern Ireland
- Transport in the Republic of Ireland
- Transport Scotland
Transport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
- Scotland Railways Scottish Rail site with timetables, maps and cross-network passes for foreign travellers in Scotland.
- NaPTAN
The National Public Transport Access Node database is a UK nationwide system for uniquely identifying all the points of access to public transport in the UK....
- Scotch gauge
Scotch gauge was the name given to a rail gauge, the distance between the inner sides of the rails, that was adopted by early 19th century railways mainly in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. It differed from the gauge of that was used on some early lines in England; and from the Standard gauge of...
- List of Tramways in Scotland
{{Scotland topics}}
{{Transportation in Europe}}