THE SNP Government is facing growing demands to revive plans to build a direct road link from Edinburgh Airport to the M8.
Business chiefs are leading calls for the half-mile link between the M8 and A8 after the SNP signalled it was determined to ditch plans for an airport rail link.
The airport has also commissioned a study into the idea.
The study was ordered by the airport's recently appointed managing director, David Johnston, who said he had seen "industrial estates with better access" than the airport.
Improving the single road access is seen as a high priority at the airport, with tailbacks a common problem at busy times.
Proposals for the link road were rejected by the Labour-Lib Dem coalition last year amid concerns it would lead to more traffic; it would cost too much; be visually intrusive; and would impact on the Ingliston park and ride site. Instead, officials opted for two new access roads from the A8.
However, consultations on local development plans have shown strong support for the M8 link.
Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "Airports develop economies, it is as simple as that.
"With trams, within budget, going ahead and Earl looking decidedly uncertain, now is exactly the right time to revisit the M8 link. It is clear that as the airport itself expands to meet demand then the infrastructure around the terminal must also grow.
"The cost of this link, which is only around half-a-mile of road, would be a fraction of the cost of the rail project."
Mr Johnston said: "To be frank I was just staggered when I first came to the airport and saw the situation with the approach road.
"There are industrial estates with better access. It is our view the M8 extension is vital for improving transport links to the airport.
"Public transport improvements are important to the airport but against the backdrop of phenomenal growth we are experiencing they will not be enough.
"The roads serving the airport are not fit for purpose and incidents such as the security changes introduced at the weekend illustrated the need to make improvements."
It is thought any new road, which has still to be priced, would go between the Claylands and Hermiston junctions on the M8 north to the A8 somewhere between the airport and the RBS headquarters at Gogarburn.
The airport's study is likely to be ready by the autumn and will be passed to the Scottish Executive.
The current plans, announced in November last year, would see a new eastern access road built to the airport from the Gogar Roundabout and a western access route from the A8 in the vicinity of Hallyards Road.
Today, the RAC backed the idea of the M8 link, but Edinburgh West MSP Margaret Smith raised concerns that the new road will simply encourage more traffic.
Sheila Rainger, campaign manager for the RAC Foundation, said: "The A8 in front of the airport is not a suitable road for access and it is not coping with the growing demands on it. With a big question mark over the rail link, which was meant to relieve congestion on the approaches to the airport, then alternatives do need to be considered.
"The link road appears to be a sensible solution given the close proximity of the airport to the motorway network."
However, Margaret Smith said: "There is already plans for new access roads into the airport from the A8. A spur to the M8 would simply encourage road traffic to the airport, which was part of the reason why the tram and rail schemes are such an attractive alternative. It is crucial we get the public transport alternatives to driving in place."
