Originally Posted by
Council Van
Manchester made a big error when the 2nd runway was built to close for true dual use operations. But that is so typical of the UK, transport development is so often half hearted and does not look far enough into the future.
If you have a look at a map you can see exactly why the second runway was built where it was. Any further away from the first runway and the cost would have quadrupled. The ground falls away, and instead of bridging the River Bollin once, they would have to build over half the runway on top of it. The only other alternative may have been to move the threshold a mile to the southwest and head out that way, but then the taxi times would triple, and the Knutsford swerve on departure would have become quite spectacular!!