UK Airport expansion plans confirmed

[Del Prado]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6177543.stm

Funny this has come out on the busiest news day for weeks but the government has reaffirmed it's commitment to airport expansion in the SE. Namely, new runways at Stanstead and Heathrow.

[Phileas Fogg]

Where's Stanstead?

[JetSetJ]

Stansted-EGSS, is situated just outside of London.

It's Ryanair's principle base here in the UK!!

Regards

JetSetJ:ok:

[akerosid]

I think Mr. Fogg was pointing out the misspelling in the article!

Great news anyway; of course, there'll be a lot of objections on environmental grounds (deafening silence from the Tories?), but it looks like it's going ahead. LHR should definitely get priority over STN; that's where the runway is needed and wanted; STN carriers don't really want a new runway and won't pay for it. If FR is forced to pay for it, they would probably pull out; what then?

Hopefully, Mixed Mode at LHR can be brought forward - and the extra slots distributed fairly, so that there is some increase in slots over the next few years.

[TopBunk]

Mixed mode at LHR is at best a feeble attempt to wring yet more productivity out of a resource already sweated to within an inch of its life (to coin a popular management phrase).

We all know that whenever Mother Earth burps that Heathrow throws in the towel and chaos ensues.

That is not to say the the folks in ATC are not the best around, but they can only work with what they have.

The operating crews, the passengers and the companies suffer financially in proportion to the number of slots they have, none more so than mine (although we frequently shoot ourselves in the foot, it must be said):ugh:

Another big loser is UK plc, as LHR slips inexorably down the list of top European airports at an alarming rate.

When will this government learn that LHR needs additional runway capacity NOW, not in the middle of the next decade. They need to either annexe Northolt immediately and build a fast train link or get the bulldozers out to just south of the M4 next Monday.

S0d the HACAN people et al. Adopt the French approach, JFDI.

[outofsynch]

Absolutely right too. BUT... STN should be expedited at the same time as LHR. Otherwise UK plc will fall off the world aviation map. STN needs to be pushed on the airlines to force them to spread the load around London, and a train link between LHR and STN would seem most logical. LHR is pretty much hemmed in, but STN is ideal for expansion. They should only offer extra LHR slots to those carriers who commence ops from STN as well...

What the government really needs to do is pass legislation bypassing all the expensive time-wasting planning processes (wasnt that planned?), and get both projects moving asap. For STN's new runway to miss the 2012 Olympics by a year seems idiotic, when it has the ideal links to the Olympic site. Why a bunch of 'nobody' plonkers from an almost unknown parish council can stop such development defies common sense. :sad:

[Atcham Tower]

Why a bunch of 'nobody' plonkers from an almost unknown parish council can stop such development defies common sense. :sad:[/QUOTE]

Perhaps because a bunch of nobody plonkers runs the govenment ...

[outofsynch]

Good point AT!!

[Leodis]

Yes but when this "bunch of nobody plonkers" get voted out another "bunch of nobody plonkers" will get voted in:E

[daynehold]

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to airport expansion plans despite opposition from green groups.

:} So more hot air from the seat of powers. Jobs for the boys again! No doubt plenty of committees meetings, public inquiries, loads of corporate entertainment (must have jolly good time at public expense) followed by green papers, white papers etc etc. Inevitable result nothing! May be cynical but this is Britain 2006. :confused: Oh there will be one thing to come out of this - future governments will make similar commitments