Future airport planning in the UK

[crazypilot]

Hello everyone,

With the Government soon to be releasing its White Paper regarding the future of airports in the UK, what are people's opinions on what will actually happen/should happen? What do you consider to be the most likely site for extra runways or an entirely new airport?

How will government policies influence future airport infrastructure planning and operations and what implications will this have on airport operators?

Cheers,

CP

[Say again s l o w l y]

Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick are likely to all get new runways over the next few years.

The Heathrow plan is for a short 2000m runway to the north of the existing two, this is very likely despite vocal opposition and especially the bad faith caused by the BAA's comments during the T5 enquiry.
Stansted will get one new full length runway, seems like a good proposal with (relatively) minor opposition compared to Heathrow.
Gatwick will eventually get a second runway maybe before 2019 but more likely after.

Whether the BAA will stay as it is currently, is a whole other ball game. Competition wise they will probably have to be broken up to try and stop a complete monopoly. How this is to happen I really haven't got a clue, but it certainly won't be easy or cheap.

Cliffe airport will never happen, it was really only ever a somkescreen. The cost both financially and environmentally would be just too high.

You haven't been set this by Bob Caves or Ian Humphreys have you?

There was another thread about this a while ago, have a search you may find some useful opinions.

[busz]

Interesting you should mention Ian Humphreys. He is one of my lecturers here at Loughborough Uni. i take it you are lectured by him as well Say Again. Top lecturer by the way, and a nice guy to boot. My coursework is finding out about Virgin Blue, suppose airport planning will be for one of the later years at Uni.

Alex

[Say again s l o w l y]

I was taught by him a while ago. I'll agree that he is an excellent lecturer and top all round chap.

[crazypilot]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, this is a coursework assignment....have to do 6,000 words on the topic and need some opinions of others as I do not have enough of myown to write so much!!!

Cheers

CP

[Say again s l o w l y]

This maybe a useful thread.Airport development in the south east (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97167)

Have a search of newspaper websites (telegraph is good), Friends of the earth, HACAN clearskies etc. Very easy if you use google. I wrote 8,000 words in the first attempt without any problems. Difficult when your limit is 2000!

I wrote a paper on development in the south east, you can have a copy if you want, but no plagarising!! I wouldn't mind a credit however.

There are quite a few people on PPrune who were very useful and hopefully they'll pop up here.

Good luck with it.

[crazypilot]

Say again s l o w l y


Thanks for the information. I have sent you a PM.

Cheers

CP

[LGS6753]

The report will be a BAA-sponsored stitch-up, just like the 'consultation exercise' was. The firm of consultants used to assist the DETR draw up the 'consultation' paper was the very same firm that BAA uses. (So it started off being a very objective document - not).

The South-East edition ruled out expansion at Luton, but gave no reasons (it is not BAA owned). It failed to consider very many options other than massive growth at BAA airports. The red herring of Cliffe was inserted so that it could be rejected by politicians 'listening to the people'. It was never viable anyway.

Many of the noise and throughput calculations were plain wrong. The future impact of LCCs was not understood, and certainly not taken into account fully.
One of the options for Luton, a realigned runway was again proposed simply to be rejected by 'listening' politicians. The concept is laughable - destroying a serviceable runway to build another, on a more noise-sensitive heading, giving no capacity benefit, involving the pouring of millions of tons of concrete, and with no other operational or commercial benefits.

The Luton Airport website (www.london-luton.co.uk) contains copies of both responses offered by the airport to the Government. It's worth a read, because it comes from a non-nimby, non-BAA angle, and demonstrates understanding of airport development issues.

[sharpshot]

The growth will take place at the airports where the funding to expand can be found - so guess who has the funds.
This country seems inept at planning its infrastructure, centrally or by region.
Cliffe will never happen and nobody is ever going to fund any green site such as Rugby without considerable financial support which will never come from the Gov't.

Could you ever imagine us doing anything on the scale that the Germans have done with Munich for instance! Slim to non existent!

So I can see the south east and Manchester continuing to grow and many others suffering from the lack of investment needed.
Fly over the UK low level and take a look at what we once had-great long runways now in ruins:{ Thank heavens the likes of Fairford are still maintained!