Poor air and rail links to Dundee could undermine the potential of the V&A, a public transport expert has warned.
Brian Masson, a former commercial services manager with Travel Dundee, is now director of Multi Modal Transport Solutions.
He said the time and money it takes to get to the City of Discovery will deter visitors, despite the attraction of the Kengo Kuma-designed V&A museum.
He said: “I have no doubts the V&A will be a huge success as a venue but it is like having a life support machine without a power socket people need to be able to get to it.”
Mr Masson, who was born in Dundee, has helped designed public transport networks in 27 European cities, said flights to and from Dundee from London and, eventually, Amsterdam are too infrequent and expensive.
“For any city to compete in a global market it needs connections that are quick and cheap,” he said. “You talk about the effect of the Guggenheim Museum in Spain but Bilbao has an airport about the size of Edinburgh’s.
“You can fly to Copenhagen from Edinburgh for a about £58 but at the moment you are paying £250 to get from Dundee to Stansted.
“Even when flights from (Amsterdam’s airport) Schipol start you are not going to attract people with one flight a day.”
Mr Masson said that even with cheap flights into other Scottish airports people will be put off travelling to Dundee by rail, bus or car, because of the cost.
He said turning Leuchars airfield into a commercial operation, capitalising on golf tourism, would have made it easier to bring visitors from overseas to Tayside and Fife because it could cope with larger aircraft than Dundee.
He added: “I am not criticising the V&A but expectations have been raised and it is like Field of Dreams they are hoping that ‘if you build it, they will come’.”
Mr Masson said budget pressures mean there is no political will to make the necessary long-term commitment to overhaul public transport in Scotland.
He said it would take 20 years and cross-party support to properly change the culture so that cycling use and public transport becomes more popular.
A feasibility study into the V&A completed in 2008 said Dundee would need improved transport links if the museum is to fulfil its potential.
Dundee City Council development convener Will Dawson said improvements are already being made at the rail station to give visitors a better first impression of Dundee.
He added: “One thing we are very much aware of is that transport needs to be improved. We still have a bit of time but are working as hard as we can with the airport and railway people.”
smorkis@thecourier.co.uk