News / Bristol airport
Bristol Airport’s expansion will ‘meet customer demand and support economic regional growth’
Bristol Airport has submitted plans for a bigger airport which would see flights to long-haul destinations and extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft.
Airport bosses say the plans are to “meet customer demand and support economic regional growth” but campaigners say the airport’s expansion plans are “so wrong at every level”.
Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) say this application “feels totally rushed and premature as the infrastructure and technology are not being developed quickly enough to facilitate the proposed growth”.
The plans would see around £500m invested in the redevelopment of the airport which would include increasing the capacity of the current terminal.
The current passenger cap of 12m passengers per year could be increased to 15m; with the current total standing at 10.8m.
Bristol Airport is currently England’s only regional airport without a fixed mass transit link – photo: Martin Booth
Aircraft movements would increase from 85,990 to 100,000 per year in the longer term – the equivalent of 35 extra flights per day at peak season; with night flights likely to increase by 1000 per year – four per night on a busy night in the peak period.
A “transformed customer experience” at Bristol Airport would see the introduction of travelators, and more shops and restaurants; with airport bosses estimating that around 1000 new jobs will be created onsite.
The proposal submitted to North Somerset Council sees the airport envisaging a future which would see flights to new destinations including within Europe and beyond with a limited number of new longer-haul flights to North America and the Middle East.
Changes at Bristol Airport would include travelators to help passengers get to their gates, and the ability to walk to and from aircraft without catching a bus – image: Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport chief executive, Dave Lees, said: “Our proposals deliver what customers have told us they want to see at their local airport.
“We will open up opportunities to visit places further afield and for businesses to expand into new international markets.
“This would improve international connectivity to key world cities enhancing trade, supporting high value sectors and improving inward investment, as well as supporting our world-leading universities in their research and innovation endeavours.
“It is also about connecting family and friends – something that’s important for the West of England where 30 per cent of people now have close family members living abroad…
“There is an incredible amount of economic investment in the West of England and it’s an exciting time for the region with so much opportunity.
“At Bristol Airport we have a responsibility to meet that level of ambition and ensure we have an airport that connects our region and meets demand from a growing population for air travel.”
Protesters have campaigned for years against the expansion of Bristol Airport – photo: Rob Browne
BAAN campaigners say that the ambition to increase passenger numbers to 15m a year comes with no concrete plans made to improve access to the airport.
The airport’s plans say there will be a “significant increase in the number of passengers travelling by public transport alongside additional car parking spaces” as well as “highway improvements on the A38”, a new bus lane and an expanded car hire facility.
Richard Baxter from BAAN said: “Local people and current airport customers are already experiencing real problems with a congested A38 and surrounding network of smaller roads.
“There is much talk and speculation about a mass transport system but it’s going to be a really expensive challenge which will take at least a decade to complete.
“Meanwhile, the local road network and the largely single tracked A38 is going to be overwhelmed by traffic.
“No decision has been made on where are the billions of pounds to build it are going to come from or the route that the new transport link will take.”
The airport’s plan to lengthen its runway, add landing lights to Felton Common and see 1000 more night flights have also come in for criticism.
Stephen Clarke of BAAN added: “We said it before the last expansion and we will say it again: Bristol Airport is simply big enough.
“Last time over 84 per cent of residents who responded to their expansion plans objected; this time the planned expansion is likely to be unpopular because of the land-grab of Felton Common.
“We call on the local councillors on North Somerset Council’s planning committee to listen to those they represent and reject these plans.”
Main image: Bristol Airport
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