Originally Posted by
SWBKCB
For a number of years the EZY bases at BRS and NCL were similar in size and range of destinations - BRS has forged ahead and NCL has largely stagnated. Now, NCL is arguable the "better" airport in terms of airport infrastucture and surface access, but doesn't have the catchement area and, by far the most important factor, the level of local economic activity.
I used to fly-BRS-NCL-BRS quite often but haven't done so for a number of years. Although not a great fan of actually using airports any more - too much hassle these days in my view (others will no doubt differ in their view on this) although I still need to fly from time to time - I always found NCL one of the better airports to transit which is appropriate as the city and its region is such a great place to visit in my opinion.
With its Metro NCL certainly knocks spots off BRS's surface connectivity although BRS's main bus link, A1 Flyer, now does use a separate and dedicated busway for part of its journey. Bristol's elected mayor wants an underground system for Bristol and he said recently that the anchor route would be between city and airport, although that part would no doubt be above ground. Talk is always cheap with politicians. Nevertheless, the airport has contributed the lion's share for a £600,000 survey with the local authorities into finding ways of improving BRS's surface connectivity.
Infrastructure-wise BRS has been a building site for the past 20 years and so it continues. Well over £300 million has been spent on infrastructure in that time, with the terminal that opened in 2000 continually expanding and walkways/piers constructed. Currently a new admin building, a new aircrew building, an extension to the multi storey car park and two more aircraft parking stands are being built with a new fire station recently completed. The old terminal building is due to be demolished soon for more aircraft stands and another walkway/pier connection built.
Beyond that the airport currently has planning applications with the local authority for further expansion that would enable it to reach 12 mppa by the mid 2020s, and in the years after that it wants to increase the size of the site - but not lenghten the runway (it's clear on that) - which would mean taking some of the surrounding Green Belt. Part of the current airport site is already within a Green Belt Inset.
It won't be easy. There are already organsised groups opposed to the current application as there were (unsuccessfully then) when the airport received planning consent for what has enabled the major expansion since 2011 to go ahead, with some of that consent still to be built.
Typing this has whetted my appetite for another visit to Tyneside.