Basically Government UK civil aviation airport strategy (there isn't one) that has seen airports built and developed in the most ridiculous, inaccessible and unusable locations now leads to even recently developed airports completely failing as they struggle after the same passengers.
"I know we can sort this out by getting the public to pay for the routes that they will then have to pay for again."
Leave the routes alone (current) blundering Government and get on sorting out the country's airports. We need less airports. The airports that are developed need to be ideally located and ideally accessible and efficient and fully able to do the job.
There is absolutely no need for any interfering and 'helping out' of airline routes.