airport expansion AGAIN!

[airport expansion AGAIN]

TRANSPORT Secretary Alistair Darling today gave the go-ahead for an extension for the runway at John Lennon Airport.

He told MPs: "We agree the airport at Liverpool should expand as projected and the runway be lengthened in the future, subject to conditions."

But he gave no timetable for the project and the airport has said it has no plans to expand the runway.

His white paper setting out an airports strategy for the next 30 years said: "Development of increased capacity at John Lennon within its existing boundary is supported, to be accompanied by improved access.

"There may also be a case for extending the runway provided this does not encroach on environmentally sensitive sites." Extra runways at Stansted and Birmingham airports were also expected to be included in the new aviation White Paper.

Liverpool airport has said it would prefer an extra runway at Heathrow. This would be better than Stanstead in terms of tapping into the international flight links market.

Airlines and airport operator the British Airports Authority (BAA) all prefer the Heathrow option.

Darling has kept the Heathrow option open, but in the meantime backs greater use of the two existing runways at the west London airport.

Liverpool JLA managing director Neil Pakey said today: ''This is a 30-year policy document and there is recognition that Liverpool should have an extension to the runway, although we have no plans at the moment to do that.

"The statement reflects the growing importance of the airport and the recognition that we should be able to access longer-haul markets like the USA.

"We don't envisage anything in the years to come."

His corporate affairs chief Robin Tudor said: "Our view is Stansted will do nothing for Liverpool, we wanted an extension at Heathrow because it would then free up capacity for regional airports like us to access Heathrow."

[Mr Jones]

A HUGE expansion of Liverpool John Lennon Airport - by building a bigger terminal and even extending the runway - has been given the green light by the Government.

The announcement was made as part of the Government's long-awaited blueprint for the expansion of airports over the next 30 years.

The White Paper said the recent expansion of John Lennon Airport, with passenger numbers quadrupling over five years, had provided a "welcome boost to the local economy".

Almost 3.5m passengers were now using the airport each year - a figure set to double or even treble again by 2030.

The White Paper concluded: "The Government therefore considers the airport's capacity should continue to grow to accommodate increased demand.

"This growth will require further terminal capacity, but there is land available for this within the existing site.

"There may, in future, be a case for extending the runway to around 2,700 metres if required for long-haul charter and freight operations."

Airport boss Neil Pakey said he was pleased the White Paper had left open the possibility of future expansion at Heathrow.

He said: What we also need is connectivity though Heathrow which is the major international hub in the UK.

"What we are interested in is acquiring slots at Heathrow."

He also welcomed the go-ahead for a possible lengthening of Liverpool's runway to take long haul flights but added it was not on the immediate agenda.

Stephen Pearse, a transport expert at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said: "It is good the document recognises Liverpool Airport's growth plan for the next 30 years.

"It also recognises the tremendous potential at Manchester Airport which of course also affects us here in Merseyside."

Thomas O'Brien, chief executive of The Mersey Partnership, said: "The aviation White Paper looks like good news for Liverpool and Merseyside.

"It recognizes the recent growth at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and leaves the way open for future expansion.

"Having lobbied the Minister of Transport recently, it's particularly pleasing to see that there is no recommendation to increase Air Passenger Duty and that the Paper also encourages the setting up of route develop-ment funds."

Planning for passenger explosion

THE White Paper gave the go-ahead for UK airport expansion to cope with an expected huge rise in passengers over the next 30 years.

In a 173-page aviation White Paper, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling signalled his backing for two additional south-east England runways - the first at Stansted and the second at Heathrow.

He also gave his support for new runways at both Birmingham and Edinburgh airports.

Mr Darling also committed the Government to pursuing policies to ensure aviation became as green as possible.

A flood of reaction - some favourable, some downright hostile - showed how much must be achieved before the Government's 30-year vision becomes reality.

Residents at both Stansted and Heathrow expressed anger at the plans, while the Conservatives questioned how airport operator BAA was going to pay for the Stansted expansion.

Some airlines which wanted Heathrow developed before Stansted were at least pleased that their preferred airport's expansion remained under consideration.

But the Government could well face a fierce battle from airports that have missed out and from local groups opposed to any expansion.

The formula that the Civil Aviation Authority uses to determine what BAA can charge airlines for using its airports is designed to avoid investment at one airport being paid for through higher charges at another.