New car rental centre at Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport have announced plans to build a new car rental centre in the face of growing demand for rented cars, it has been reported.

A £9.5 million car rental centre will be linked to Edinburgh Airport's main terminal building by a 500-metre covered walkway from its reception facility.

Edinburgh Airport will be the first airport in the UK to offer a consolidated centre that includes back-up facilities for refuelling, valet and washing.

The new centre will also be home to all car rental operators' offices and is expected to be ready by spring 2009.

Gordon Dewar, managing director of Edinburgh Airport, said: "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."

Around 180,000 passengers a year hire a car at Edinburgh Airport, a figure that is set to rise to around 230,000 by 2010.