Transport minister: ‘Dundee economy on the up’

GRANT Shapps, the UK government’s transport secretary, praised the new London and Belfast routes to Dundee.

He said: “Dundee’s economy is on the up. Last year the city earned a record-breaking £187million from tourism, and continued to grow its reputation as a major hub for life sciences and digital media.

“The £1.1 billion Waterfront regeneration scheme is creating over 700 new jobs. And the new Dundee V&A has become the first major UK design museum to be built outside London.

“But the future prosperity of Dundee depends on its links with outside markets, helping it compete for investment and bring in new visitors from around the world.

“I’m delighted that Loganair has announced a new service to City Airport in the heart of London to replace current flights to Stansted. It is supported by the UK Government’s Public Service Obligation scheme, protecting routes that connect loved ones, and helping to create jobs that may otherwise get lost.

“Flying into London City makes journeys in and out of the capital quicker, making it easier for commuters to travel for business, bringing loved ones closer together and encouraging Dundee businesses to flourish. It takes ten minutes to get to Canary Wharf from London City, and half an hour to the shops and theatres of the West End.

“The new service will be operated using an ATR 42-500 aircraft, increasing the number of seats to 48 from the 33 seats on the previous Saab 340, with two flights on weekdays and one on Sundays.

“The last commercial route from Dundee to London City Airport had around 50,000 passengers at its peak, two and a half times that of current Stansted flights, and we expect the route to grow over the remainder of the public service obligation.”