Edinburgh Gateway - A White Elephant ?

[InOban]

I think that if you had picked a stopper from Dundee, rather than the fast Aberdeen, you would have been quicker, because they do stop at Gateway.

 

[najaB]

I think that if you had picked a stopper from Dundee, rather than the fast Aberdeen, you would have been quicker, because they do stop at Gateway.

I'm talking about before Gateway existed.

 

[swaldman]

No, for me at least travelling from Dundee, it does not. There used to be nothing more annoying than sailing past the airport to get to Haymarket and then come all the way back to the airport. It easily added 30 to 40 minutes onto my journey.

Ah, fair enough. So it's useful for people going to or from places between Inverkeithing and Dundee. I guess some of the other nearer north-of-the-bridge routes too? My experience is of Inverness and Aberdeen trains, which don't stop there.

Yes, it most definitely was. Once EARL was abandoned, Gateway became the preferred option and will make even more sense as an airport station once the Dalmeny Chord is built.

That, I can agree with.

 

[47271]

My experience is of Inverness and Aberdeen trains, which don't stop there.

Inverness trains do stop at Gateway. Other than when they're cancelled obviously.

 

[swaldman]

Inverness trains do stop at Gateway. Other than when they're cancelled obviously.

Huh. Is that new? I've been mostly doing Aberdeen for the last couple of years...

 

[Stopper]

I don’t think it will ever become a heavily used airport station as long as the expensive tram fare exists, add that to the fact people don’t really want to change in the first place. I do however think it will become a useful station after future development around the area and the Almond Chord. The E-G is a far busier line than the Fife Circle, Dundee and Highland lines. It’s pretty much the only line in Scotland you can drop a new station on and it’ll be massively busy instantly

 

[47271]

Huh. Is that new? I've been mostly doing Aberdeen for the last couple of years...

Ever since it opened! I've never been on an Inverness that hasn't stopped there.

 

[swaldman]

Ever since it opened! I've never been on an Inverness that hasn't stopped there.

I stand corrected then!

 

[Esker-pades]

All 5 ScotRail services per day (Mon to Sat) from Edinburgh to Inverness call at Edinburgh Gateway. The 3 Sunday services also call there.

 

[Stopper]

And they don’t make much of a difference to the numbers really, barely anyone gets off from the Inverness services. The main market to improve Gateway is the E-G, diverting some of the Falkirk/Linlithgow demand from Park and introducing Croy-Gateway links.

 

[railjock]

I don’t think it will ever become a heavily used airport station as long as the expensive tram fare exists, add that to the fact people don’t really want to change in the first place. I do however think it will become a useful station after future development around the area and the Almond Chord. The E-G is a far busier line than the Fife Circle, Dundee and Highland lines. It’s pretty much the only line in Scotland you can drop a new station on and it’ll be massively busy instantly

I agree. The tram fare is ridiculous and a total disincentive.

 

[big all]

wow have just realized where edinburgh park is
a shame it wasnt there when i was a teen i used to trainspot after school at carrickvale at ballgreen to stenhouse
lived at sighthill rise eh11 4 pz nearest station Kingsknowe with virtually no service off any use
that was off course pre 1969 now live in redhill surrey but not only is there a station at wester hails but now also edinburgh park both easy walking distance
shame i have no ties to sighthill as it would be so much easier now

 

[reb0118]

I got stuck at Gateway for around 45 minutes last night thanks to Scotrail cancelling the 1739 Edinburgh-Inverness.

That was mine.

 

[47271]

That was mine.

Well, if it makes you feel any better James F Mcnee Coach Hire got us very comfortably, if slowly, to Perth. Only nine of us from Haymarket and Gateway. Two got off at Kirkcaldy, one at Markinch and no business at Ladybank.

 

[reb0118]

James F Mcnee Coach Hire got us very comfortably, if slowly, to Perth.

Next time I'll come with you. My taxi driver missed the turn off for Perth then almost missed the next one (tbf he only made it by reversing slightly on the dual carriageway and cutting over the red cats eyes & hatched out area). I almost got out after that as walking would have been safer.

 

[47271]

Next time I'll come with you. My taxi driver missed the turn off for Perth then almost missed the next one (tbf he only made it by reversing slightly on the dual carriageway and cutting over the red cats eyes & hatched out area). I almost got out after that as walking would have been safer.

Oh hell, that sounds terrifying. We were nothing like that. The coach driver knew the route like the back of his hand, including the tricky bits through Glenrothes, Auchtermuchty and Glenfarg, steady as a rock all the way. It felt as safe as a train.

I wonder why he's got to know it so well recently...

 

[route101]

Next time I'll come with you. My taxi driver missed the turn off for Perth then almost missed the next one (tbf he only made it by reversing slightly on the dual carriageway and cutting over the red cats eyes & hatched out area). I almost got out after that as walking would have been safer.

Was it a Balck hack or Private hire?

 

[reb0118]

Was it a Balck hack or Private hire?

Private Hire - from cab finder or some such. The black hackneys knew their stuff the private hire boys generally have poor English and rely on their sat nav. They must be cheaper though. It'll be Über next?......

 

[railjock]

Private Hire - from cab finder or some such. The black hackneys knew their stuff the private hire boys generally have poor English and rely on their sat nav. They must be cheaper though. It'll be Über next?......

Bicycle?

 

[ScottDarg]

2018/19 usage figures have Gateway up 13.8% on the 2017/18 figures - 323,698 entries/exits in 18/19 vs 284,436 in 17/18.

 

[najaB]

2018/19 usage figures have Gateway up 13.8% on the 2017/18 figures - 323,698 entries/exits in 18/19 vs 284,436 in 17/18.

I suspect that trend will continue this year as well as more people factor it in to their travel plans. The one potential wrinkle is the direct Dundee to Edinburgh Airport bus service that started a few months ago. Much as I prefer the train, the 2am bus arriving at the airport for 4am (ish) is way more convenient for the 6-7am flight departures.

 

[El Blanco]

2018/19 usage figures have Gateway up 13.8% on the 2017/18 figures - 323,698 entries/exits in 18/19 vs 284,436 in 17/18.

And - as has been mentioned on here before - the Cammo Fields development is being built virtually next door which will boost numbers I feel. 600 houses. Ignoring the headline - - work starts on Monday.

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman....haos-worst-possible-place-new-housing-1364698

 

[dk1]

Good to see figures improving. Everything takes time and as said it was a catalyst for future development too.

 

[47271]

And - as has been mentioned on here before - the Cammo Fields development is being built virtually next door which will boost numbers I feel. 600 houses. Ignoring the headline - - work starts on Monday.

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman....haos-worst-possible-place-new-housing-1364698

This idiotic development may well generate extra traffic for Edinburgh Gateway, but people will still need to get in cars first.

 

[railjock]

This idiotic development may well generate extra traffic for Edinburgh Gateway, but people will still need to get in cars first.

Is that development not quite far from the station?

 

[Stopper]

Is that development not quite far from the station?

Yes. It’s not within walking distance at all (unless you like hikes before you get on your train to work/airport) and would take over 10 minutes to drive, possibly more given that it will generate more traffic.

It’s good to see an improvement, but given it’s still a ‘growing station’ the increase is worryingly low. You’d expect the increases to get smaller each year unless the Almond Chord is built and it looks nowhere near reaching the predicted 600,000. Just under half of the 300k at Gateway is extraction from South Gyle due to reduced frequency there, and it seems the majority of passengers use Gateway as a station for Edinburgh Park rather than to get on to a tram for the Airport.

However, Edinburgh Park saw similar numbers when it only had Bathgate/Dunblane services right up until the A-B link in 2010, which then significantly boosted passenger numbers.

A similar thing with Gateway could happen where numbers level out at around 350-400k (which seems to be the par passenger numbers for a station located in this area) while they are on Fife Circle/Perth/Dundee locals until the Almond Chord is built, where the E-G services could push numbers close to a million, perhaps even over that amount.

 

[Altnabreac]

Is that development not quite far from the station?

In planning terms you usually consider 1600m to be the limit people are willing to walk to a railway station and Cammo Fields is about 1800m from the centre of the development so most people will not walk. Some will cycle and others will get the bus but probably to interchange with tram to the airport rather than into town as you'd probably just stay on a bus to town.

The slightly larger portion of the development site at Maybury is right next to the station and 750 houses there within 100-400m of the station will generate much more demand. Taylor Wimpey is undertaking detailed planning for 150 houses on part of that site at the moment and I'd expect more applications to come in over the next few years.

 

[railjock]

In planning terms you usually consider 1600m to be the limit people are willing to walk to a railway station and Cammo Fields is about 1800m from the centre of the development so most people will not walk. Some will cycle and others will get the bus but probably to interchange with tram to the airport rather than into town as you'd probably just stay on a bus to town.

The slightly larger portion of the development site at Maybury is right next to the station and 750 houses there within 100-400m of the station will generate much more demand. Taylor Wimpey is undertaking detailed planning for 150 houses on part of that site at the moment and I'd expect more applications to come in over the next few years.

Thanks. No parking at Gateway either.

 

[Stopper]

Are there numbers on the Tram interchanges at Gateway? From my experience, and people I know, most people use Gateway as a station for Edinburgh Park/The Gyle.

 

[och aye]

In planning terms you usually consider 1600m to be the limit people are willing to walk to a railway station and Cammo Fields is about 1800m from the centre of the development so most people will not walk. Some will cycle and others will get the bus but probably to interchange with tram to the airport rather than into town as you'd probably just stay on a bus to town.

The slightly larger portion of the development site at Maybury is right next to the station and 750 houses there within 100-400m of the station will generate much more demand. Taylor Wimpey is undertaking detailed planning for 150 houses on part of that site at the moment and I'd expect more applications to come in over the next few years.

I think I saw plans to built a pathway connecting the housing development to the station. For station numbers to really grow, (as others have stated) the Dalmeny/Almond Chord needs to be built.