Edinburgh Airport is to build a new access road after revealing the current route is “absolutely at the edge of capacity”.

Scotland’s busiest airport broke national records in June when 1,173,953 passengers passed through - a 6.8 per cent increase on the same month last year and the busiest ever June at a Scottish airport.

The Scotsman has reported that the airport is willing to contribute millions of pounds to the project to end traffic jams on the current Eastfield Road access road that can cause traffic jams to stretch back onto the A8.

Chief executive Gordon Dewar said the road would be a catalyst for building an international business gateway business park nearby.

Mr Dewar told an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce event: “We are absolutely at the edge of our surface access capacity. The tram and forthcoming Gogar tram-train interchange are fantastic stuff but fundamentally, we do not have a road access solution yet.”

The airport is also currently consulting on expansion plans that could see changes to flight paths too.

Mr Dewar told The Scotsman the airport would be a “significant contributor” to the project, but no route or cost had been determined. He said a link to the M8 would eventually be required.

He said: “My biggest worry is if there is a significant accident on Eastfield Road, there is no other route into the airport.”

A city council spokeswoman added: “We support the principle of a secondary access to the airport that is consistent with the aim of the local development plan to develop an international business gateway.

“We are in discussions with the airport to bring forward a comprehensive and deliverable package of transport improvements.”

Edinburgh Airport is in the middle of a £150 million investment plan that will transform sections of the airport over five years.