If I had a pound for every mention of the Innerleithen chairlift quest I'd be rich. I'd still not invest in a chairlift though 🙂

Its an MTB'ers pipedream which has been talked to death but never done. Reason? Its not commercially viable. Proof? If it was as lucrative as everyone seems to think it would be it would be in place making money right now.

It would serve one purpose – to ferry bikers to the top of a hill to come back down. There is no other commercial aspect of this that would make money and the "tourism" thing is a load of balls. There was a big hoo haa a year or so back when the Glentress visitor figures were announced and it was subsequently noted that the methodology used to calculate visitor numbers was balls. IF GT numbers are inflated then inners is hardly going to outstrip that to make enough money to interest a 3rd party in spending thousands if not millions on a chairlift.

It pains me to say it but TJ is right 😉

the bus seems to work pretty well at inners

TJ perhaps you should have a try, see what all the fuss is about?

I was talking to some people at a ski lift, can't remember if it was one in Sweden or France but they sell more tickets in one day for the winter season than the whole summer season for bikers. I could imagine it would not pay for itself.

Maybe they could compliment the bikes with a ski centre? 🙂 Actually they have one in Sweden at a similar latitude vallåsens ski park that does biking in the summer and snow canons in the winter.

Always seemed to me that the main issue with a lift at Innerleithen isn't really the money- silly money gets thrown at projects like this after all- it's the fact that it's not a particularily massive descent, it's only 300 metres or so isn't it? About half that of the nevis range gondola lift. And it's not brilliantly located either, poor public transport etc.

Davidrussel wrote,"Its not commercially viable. Proof? If it was as lucrative as everyone seems to think it would be it would be in place making money right now."

That's right, because everything that can possibly make money has already been done. Not a very compelling argument. No less compelling than EVIDENCE EVIDENCE EVIDENCE mind 😉

so where would a chairlift start? cos if it's the floodplain (i.e. carpark level) then no chance. that's why there's no visitor centre (flood risk – no council would give consent i'd say)

Has anyone got any ideas how much a lift would cost? It can't be that expensive, just a few pylons, some cable and an engine room.

>Maybe they could compliment the bikes with a ski centre?<

Comparing Innerleithen with other 'resorts' in Europe is an exercise in pure fantasy – 99.99% of Alpine resorts have existing lift infrastructure, vertical elevation and winter sports. IL has none of these…

>Has anyone got any ideas how much a lift would cost?<

£2m for starters and >£12m in todays money to realise the full scheme:

http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/about-us/se-whatwedo/news-se-about-us-details.htm?articleid=248596&pagetitle=Innerleithen%20bike%20park%20report%20now%20available%20::%20Scottish%20Enterprise%20%20news

Page 24 makes interesting reading.

Three points really:

1. Where are the PRIVATE SECTOR champions of this scheme?
2. Is public sector funding likely to be forthcoming?
3. Is venture capital funding likely to be forthcoming? This needs point 2 to happen

IMO the public sector cannot and will not take a punt on this, we no longer have fantasists at places like the Bank of Scotland and the public sector certainly can't afford to do a Ratho and bail it out when it all goes pear shaped

Also – I dont believe any of the figures in that report took account of the fact the FC themselves were building a not insignificant development just up the road.

Wonder how much the GT development is currently running over budget…

Also remember that if it is in someones 'strategy', then 'viability' is often pretty irrelevent – and vica versa…

For a good example of this, just look at Ford (or GM) and their European 'purchases'. Or probably most things that government/councils do – NHS Spine project?

I think TJ has given us definite proof that it will go ahead and will be lauded to the heavens by the scottish parliament.

TandemJeremy – Member (and local savant :lol:)
There is absolutly zero chance of it getting built. The financial case is rubbish, there is no planning application lodged yet, there is no funding in place.

I stand by that Kev – it is a complete fantasy. No finbancial case, no planning application,not viable

Sorry TJ was meant to be tongue in cheek, if the financial case is rubbish and there is no indication of planning permission. It sounds like the perfect SNP project, think of it as a trams for inners 😮

it's obvious isn't it? the wind turbines are to be connected directly to the driveshaft of the cable that pulls the chairs up the mountain.

kevonakona – Member
Sorry TJ was meant to be tongue in cheek, if the financial case is rubbish and there is no indication of planning permission. It sounds like the perfect SNP project, think of it as a trams for inners

For those with selective/defective memories, the Edinburgh trams project was NOT an invention of the SNP. In fact, they tried to cancel it when they got into power, but the other parties voted it through.

Onion this is an internet forum, since when did we let things such as fact get in the way of a good thread.

What do you want from me man?? Actual real facts?!?

😯
😆

We all know who's idea the trams were:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yOqU4-zE5w

(Downfall vid refering to the trams)

Excellent! I'd not seen that

you'll like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebaDe3eiQIA&NR=1