Edinburgh Airport to launch car rental centre

Edinburgh Airport has unveiled plans to develop a new car rental centre connected to its main terminal building.

The facility will be linked to the gateway by a 500-metre covered walkway and will make Edinburgh the first British airport to offer an on-site, all-in-one centre for rented cars.

Back-up valet services as well as facilities for re-fuelling and washing will be incorporated into the centre, which is expected to be completed by next spring.

Based on the consolidated model widely used in the US, the Edinburgh centre will bring the offices of all the car rental firms operating out of the airport under one roof.

Airport managing director Gordon Dewar told The Edinburgh Evening News that it would be mutually beneficial for all individuals and companies who make use of the gateway.

He commented: "By offering more choice and convenience, a more efficient service and through making use of sustainable design techniques, this project makes sense for our passengers, our business partners and for the environment."

Each year, approximately 180,000 passengers hire a car at Edinburgh Airport, with that figure expected to rise to around 230,000 by 2010.

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