Helen McArdle
News Reporter
AN INDEPENDENT Scotland will slash air passenger duty (APD) in half and
eventually scrap it altogether in a bid to lure international airlines into
setting up more direct long-haul flights to destinations in North America
and the Asia Pacific region, according to plans outlined in the White Paper.
The move will be welcomed by airports, which blame the tax for stifling
growth and have long supported the Scottish Government’s calls to devolve
the powers for setting APD to Holyrood.
APD adds anything from £13 to £94 to the price of an ticket for all flights
taking off from UK airports, with the cost rising to £188 per passenger for
those travelling in non-economy cabins on long-haul flights.
Airlines complain they have to absorb much of the tax themselves to remain
competitive and attract customers on to their flights, while research
estimates it will cost Scotland £200 million in “lost tourism spend” by 2016.
A direct flight between Scotland and China would be prized by the country’s
business community, especially the whisky industry. The White Paper also
highlights how the Irish Government has been able to strike a deal with US
customs authorities to allow passengers travelling through airports in
Ireland to clear US passport control before boarding the plane, cutting out
lengthy waits at congested airports such as New York JFK.
Motorists are also promised that the cost of filling up their tanks will
come under scrutiny, with the possible introduction of a Fuel Duty
Regulator to stabilise the price of petrol and diesel against fluctuations
in the oil market. There will also be investment in improving road
conditions and complete dualling of all intercity routes.
Environmentalists are appeased, meanwhile, by plans for “almost complete
decarbonisation of road transport by 2050” with more electric vehicles, the
roll-out of smart-grid technologies and the expansion of Scotland’s
renewable energy network to supply green electricity.
The rail network will be completely electrified, cutting diesel emissions,
while an independent Scotland could switch to a more European-style
“public-supported and not-for-profit” model of ownership.
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