Edinburgh and Glasgow are Europe's top large "cities of the future"

Monday, 13 February 2012 22:50
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fDI Intelligence (a subsidiary of the Financial Times) has ranked all of Europe’s cities on their potential to capture future investment and expansion projects.

Edinburgh and Glasgow topped the list of "large" European cities, those with a population of between 500,000 and one million, beating Amsterdam, Oslo and Helsinki.

While London remains their “European City of the Future” 2012/13. The Greater Stockholm region has overtaken the South East of England to become the “European Region of the Future”.

Among all European cities, Dublin was ranked 8th, Edinburgh 11th, Glasgow 14th and Dundee 25th.

According to the Press Association, Edinburgh was the only large city in the UK to make the top ten for economic potential and came sixth in the human resources category just ahead of Glasgow. It also has the eighth-best quality of life of all large cities in Europe, with Oslo topping the list.

Courtney Fingar, editor of fDi Magazine, said: "fDi's rankings reveal the cities and regions that stand the best chance of capturing future investment and expansion projects by multinational companies, something that will become even more important should Europe and the world head into recession."

Comments  

 
# UpSpake 2012-02-14 09:29
Once we gat our city back from the clutches of the Tram maniacs then we can re-build what is still a great city but one that is as pleasant to live in as it was before the madness set in.
 
 
# Robert Louis 2012-02-14 09:53
Totally with you on the trams. Such a mess. regardless of previous money spent (wasted), I'd be happy if they stopped tomorrow, and put the roads back.

It will never work. I am from Edinburgh, and I know the route, it will NEVER be viable.

They should stop today, remove what junk can easily be removed at minimal cost, then just take the loss. It will NEVER be viable.
 
 
# xyz 2012-02-14 11:01
How do you mean it will never be viable? Ticket prices will not pay for the system, I don't think that is the model, but through general taxation, or local taxation the trams will be a cheap way to get around Edinburgh, greasing the wheels of the local economy and improving the environment. The only problem with the trams is the way the contract was drawn up by the council,giving a blank cheque to the builders of the trams .. but they did it before for the parliament building. Who writes these contracts?
 
 
# I Say Yes 2012-02-14 18:31
Sorry but I don't agree with you. There was no need for the trams. Edinburgh has a great bus service and the 100 Airport bus can't be beat. Trams a complete waste of money.
 
 
# youoffmyplanet 2012-02-14 20:44
You have to admit though, Edinburgh has a horrendous layout compared to the grid system that parts of London and Glasgow were built on. If you go to places like Berlin, trams are great, and lest we forget, most of our tourism is European, they 'get' modern trams. We can't ever think of having an actual expanded railway system or subway, due to the heritage nuts that run the city, so what is the other option? I think light-rail is a great idea, totally admit though that the scheme has been a disaster. The thing I find most tragic is, what brave councilor is going to propose an expansion across North Bridge to the South? Or an expansion up to Granton and along the water to the Newhaven depot that will probably have been built by 2018? In my eyes it is only worth having if it is eventually a proper network which takes loads of buses/taxis/private cars off the road and reduces the huge pollution we have had for a decade. Because of the way this has been handled, I can see us being lumped for years with the spine of a network, and none of the connecting limbs.
 
 
# uilleam_beag 2012-02-15 06:57
I think trams are great, having experienced the fantastic rickety old ones in Hong Kong and sleek new ones in European cities like Amsterdam, Basel and Bordeaux. The handling of the Edinburgh scheme has been diabolical (goes without saying) but I still firmly believe people will change their tune once they are eventually up and running.
Of course, it was the wrong plan executed in the wrong way. There ought to have been a first line put in running up the walk from Leith, along Princes St and out west past Haymarket - possibly as far as Murrayfield. That would establish a high-profile and practical start to the system, and its high visibility would quickly get people using it regularly (mixing up with existing bus services).
I would then argue for it to be expanded to revamp the figure-of-eight loop of disused tracks and goods lines that circle most of the rest of the city. A few short stretches would need to be relaid, but essentially you can get the equivalent of Glasgow's SPT for the price of a few cheap platforms. There was an excellent pdf of this plan online (unfortunately can't find it right now) - for some reason it was never seriously considered by the pre-2007 Lib-Lab administration, even though it was submitted as a fully costed plan.
The airport is well served with a good express bus service, and including it in the trams project was an unnecessary and costly distraction. However, a simple branch line of a mile or so could have joined it up to the main Glasgow-Edinburgh rail line, allowing it to serve both main cities and all points between at a stroke.

[addendum]: I still can't find the plan for the double loop that I saw previously, but there is a comprehensive look at the proposal to reintroduce passenger trains on the South Suburban line here:
http
It's from 2007, but even if the projected cost of 15m-18m were to double, it's still a steal compared to the trams!
 
 
# K Mackay 2012-02-15 05:57
Totally agree. If we'd never got rid of the old tram lines then yeh, great put trams back on them but what they've done makes no sense at all. Massive waste of time, effort, money, disruption.... And for one route! Not even a useful network.

Definitely time to cut our losses. We need something useful like proper cycle lanes with some line of defense to stop idiots (and this includes police) parking in them.

Sorry, personal grievance.
 
 
# K Mackay 2012-02-15 06:01
Also the electric hybrid buses seem like a much more sensible route to go down and as battery technology improves and becomes cheaper they could switch to being purely electric with minimal effort. And eventually be run off our 100% renewable electric supply... Genuinely green transport.

I'm pretty optimistic about this sort of thing.
 
 
# Dundonian West 2012-02-16 15:48
UpSpake---
"Once we get our city back from the clutches of the Tram maniacs".

A great line----one to remember----made me laugh.
 
 
# Triangular Ears 2012-02-14 11:55
That they think that Glasgow and Edinburgh have the greatest potential for future investment and expansion projects, rather suggests that they are currently NOT fulfilling their potential to quite a large degree.

Surely that's quite damning for the union?
 
 
# Puskas 2012-02-14 12:20
Quoting Triangular Ears:
That they think that Glasgow and Edinburgh have the greatest potention for future investment and expansion projects, rather suggests that they are currently NOT fulfilling their potential to quite a large degree.

Surely that's quite damning for the union?



Glasgow and Edinburgh ..

Potentially cities of the future in an Independent Scotland .. Indeed I see Dundee mentioned as well.
Lets add Aberdeen and Inverness and any other that has escaped me.
The progress we all yearn for can only materialise with Independent thought clear of London malpractise.
 
 
# macgilleleabhar 2012-02-15 17:06
"Surely that's quite damning for the union?"

You named that tune in one!!!!!
( Shows my age)
 
 
# Saltire Groppenslosh 2012-02-15 09:09
I would like to see a proper Paris style underground system in Glasgow. The tiny route that the existing "toy railway" takes isn't enough to deal with the people that would use it if it covered the footprint of the city. And there's nothing that would take vehicles off the road better.

In Paris the Metro arrives every 90 seconds.

In Glasgow we could have a system that gets people in Clydebank to Glasgow Centre in 15 - 20 minutes. In rush hour that same journey can take up to an hour.

Mass transport has to be quick and easy and not add to the congestion that we already see on the roads.

I would hope that Glasgow wouldn't look at a tram system in the future.
 
 
# manxbhoy 2012-02-15 09:53
Quoting Saltire Groppenslosh:
I would like to see a proper Paris style underground system in Glasgow. The tiny route that the existing "toy railway" takes isn't enough to deal with the people that would use it if it covered the footprint of the city. And there's nothing that would take vehicles off the road better.

In Paris the Metro arrives every 90 seconds.

In Glasgow we could have a system that gets people in Clydebank to Glasgow Centre in 15 - 20 minutes. In rush hour that same journey can take up to an hour.

Mass transport has to be quick and easy and not add to the congestion that we already see on the roads.

I would hope that Glasgow wouldn't look at a tram system in the future.

Glasgow had a fixed cost tram project in the 1990's alas the tory house of lords blocked the bill, then it was dropped.

en.wikipedia.org/.../...
 
 
# uilleam_beag 2012-02-15 10:47
The last time I was in Glasgow, I was fairly impressed with the geographic coverage of the SPT suburban rail system in extension of the subway. Unfortunately, the rolling stock is in desperate need of an upgrade -- it's basically a retirement home for burnt out local trains, which possibly explains why so few people were using it. With electrification and a new fleet of carriages, it could easily be turned into a quick, efficient and economical public transport system.
 
 
# Wedge Antilles 2012-02-16 08:49
Got to agreee with Saltire Groppenslosh.

Glasgow is crying out of an extended subway system that would cover the whole of Glasgow and beyond. Cause the public transport in Glasgow is terrible now. Firstbus is running down its bus service whhilst at the same time it is increasing its bus tickets.

Every single Glasgow MP and MSP needs lobbied over the extended subway system for the West of Scotland.
 
 
# Puskas 2012-02-16 15:43
Quoting Wedge Antilles:
Got to agreee with Saltire Groppenslosh.

Glasgow is crying out of an extended subway system that would cover the whole of Glasgow and beyond. Cause the public transport in Glasgow is terrible now. Firstbus is running down its bus service whhilst at the same time it is increasing its bus tickets.

Every single Glasgow MP and MSP needs lobbied over the extended subway system for the West of Scotland.


I can remember this been discussed mid 50's
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-16 16:24
Puting trains underground is hugely expensive. There are disused rail lines and stations which could be re-opened but I must confess that I don't have any problems travelling about Glasgow. It's excellent once you understand the system.
There's a good service to Clydebank, where does this hour come in?
 
 
# Angry_Weegie 2012-02-18 02:18
Have to agree with you. Though it would perhaps be an advantage for the centre, it would cost a fortune and wouldn't improve on the current overground suburban service. More frequent trains on the existing lines plus some further overground extensions would be better.
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-18 11:36
AW, most folk are interested in getting into town via their particular spoke of the wheel, I don't think circumnavigatin g the city, at vast expense, would be much of a goer. There are places like Carnwadric, Arden or Roughmussel, whose doubtless charms will remain a firmly closed book for me I'm afraid.
A couple of regular contributors to the Herald "Letters" pages, a Messrs Sutherland & Forbes, recommend the construction & electrification of the Garngad Chord, which will apparently transform all our lives.
Duke Street station is earmarked for closure, only a few hundred yards from Alexandra Parade station is given as the reason, but most Subway Stations are on a par with this. A step backwards I think.
New station planned for Robroyston, plus electrification , roll on the "Lost Chord".
 
 
# Diabloandco 2012-02-18 15:04
After the BBBC 6 o'clock news last night I think this bonny city will be demoted - knife capital of Europe ,and look at all the chib marked folk called on to put in their tuppence worth.
Could put folk off ever visiting this fabulous city.
Maybe that was the idea.
 

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