Originally Posted by
BKS Air Transport
The argument for a 'Yorkshire' airport also relies on an assumption that residents of the region will automatically flow to an airport located in the centre. I would argue this is flawed: those in the north will still consider Newcastle, those in the west Manchester and those in the south East Midlands, just as they do now.
No it relies on the assumption that residents of the region will automatically flow to an airport that is the quickest and easiest to get to. Yes other factors such as range of services and price of flights do come into the equation but ease and speed of getting to an airport is a 'set in stone' principle across the globe. Leeds East airport (which already exists by the way-biz jets are landing) geographically fits these parameters for the vast majority of the Yorkshire and Humber population (link road being a proviso). LBA and DSA are in the wrong locations and are fighting against one another. That is why a Belfast service was not viable from both airports and hence passengers from Doncaster for example head to EMA now. This would not happen if there was a service airport at Leeds East as Doncaster is 15 minutes away by ECML train. Yes there is no station on the ECML at Leeds East at present but there is the potential and that is the key. Is LBA on the ECML? Ok HS3 does not exist but the Transpennine express does. A Leeds to Church Fenton none stopping train would take about 17 minutes. HS2 (if it is built) does not just go to Leeds it joins the ECML/Transpennine express at Leeds East Airport. There are trains even now from Sheffield and Hull that stop at Church Fenton train station. There is massive potential as regards train connections especially to Leeds East airport. All that will stop this project for the whole North East are the politicians who have already spent billions in the north west.