Newspapers are reporting that Edingburg airport has been dropped in favor of Prestick airport as the arrival point for the G8 delegates. Over 1,500 delegates (and 3,000 journalists) are expected and most will travel by road from Prestwick which is on the west coast and much further away from the G8 venue than Edingburgh. While the new route will offer protesters many new possibilties there are multiple possible routes to block unlike the journey from Edingburgh.
G8 leaders ditch capital flights over security fears
ANGIE BROWN
WORLD leaders attending the G8 summit in Scotland will fly in to Prestwick following concerns over security at Edinburgh Airport.
The Scotsman has learned that a massive operation is now being mounted at the west coast airport following the late decision by the Foreign Office to avoid using Edinburgh.
It is understood the size of Edinburgh Airport was a major factor in the decision as well as the fact it only has one exit route, which protesters had been threatening to block.
The news comes as a blow to police chiefs who had been preparing Edinburgh as the main transport hub for delegates attending the event at Gleneagles in July. However, security experts last night described the decision as "much more sensible", saying Prestwick was harder for protesters to access.
Extra armed police and troops are expected to be dispatched to the Ayrshire airport, while there could be some road closures if the dignitaries travel to Perthshire by motorcade.
Senior officials at Prestwick will now be bracing themselves for protests ahead of and during the arrival of leaders from the United States, UK, Canada, Japan, Russia, France, Germany and Italy.
Experts believe that the army, armed police and a surveillance plane will be among the security measures demanded.
A security source last night claimed the decision was a result of "squabbling behind the scenes". He said: "Lothian and Borders Police are jumping up and down that they have shot themselves in the foot.
"They have been planning this for months but they have also been talking too openly in the media that the manning of this operation was going to be difficult and this has unfortunately worked its way down to the Foreign Office which has decided to take action."
Security expert David Capitanchik said he was "surprised" Edinburgh had been chosen in the first place. "I have always thought Edinburgh was not a good idea partly because it only has one exit but also because of the disruption it would cause as it is such a busy airport."
A spokesman for BAA, which owns Edinburgh Airport, said: "We have been talking to the organisers for months as part of the detailed planning process and we were confident Edinburgh Airport was in position to support G8."
A Prestwick Airport spokesman said: "I can confirm that Prestwick is a designated airport for the G8 summit at Gleneagles in July."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have not confirmed which airports will be used for the G8. We have examined a range of options."
ANGIE BROWN
WORLD leaders attending the G8 summit in Scotland will fly in to Prestwick following concerns over security at Edinburgh Airport.
The Scotsman has learned that a massive operation is now being mounted at the west coast airport following the late decision by the Foreign Office to avoid using Edinburgh.
It is understood the size of Edinburgh Airport was a major factor in the decision as well as the fact it only has one exit route, which protesters had been threatening to block.
The news comes as a blow to police chiefs who had been preparing Edinburgh as the main transport hub for delegates attending the event at Gleneagles in July. However, security experts last night described the decision as "much more sensible", saying Prestwick was harder for protesters to access.
Extra armed police and troops are expected to be dispatched to the Ayrshire airport, while there could be some road closures if the dignitaries travel to Perthshire by motorcade.
Senior officials at Prestwick will now be bracing themselves for protests ahead of and during the arrival of leaders from the United States, UK, Canada, Japan, Russia, France, Germany and Italy.
Experts believe that the army, armed police and a surveillance plane will be among the security measures demanded.
A security source last night claimed the decision was a result of "squabbling behind the scenes". He said: "Lothian and Borders Police are jumping up and down that they have shot themselves in the foot.
"They have been planning this for months but they have also been talking too openly in the media that the manning of this operation was going to be difficult and this has unfortunately worked its way down to the Foreign Office which has decided to take action."
Security expert David Capitanchik said he was "surprised" Edinburgh had been chosen in the first place. "I have always thought Edinburgh was not a good idea partly because it only has one exit but also because of the disruption it would cause as it is such a busy airport."
A spokesman for BAA, which owns Edinburgh Airport, said: "We have been talking to the organisers for months as part of the detailed planning process and we were confident Edinburgh Airport was in position to support G8."
A Prestwick Airport spokesman said: "I can confirm that Prestwick is a designated airport for the G8 summit at Gleneagles in July."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have not confirmed which airports will be used for the G8. We have examined a range of options."
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17.04.2005 16:38
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