No extra runway space at Exeter or Plymouth

In the same week that has seen the start of the enquiry into providing a second runway at Stanstead north east of London it is good to read that the managements at both Exeter and Plymouth airports have declared that they are not seeking extra runway space. Well hooray for that at least. Exeter International Airport have now got new owners of course and I'm pleased that they have made this statement that they do not need another runway even with the rapid growth of numbers flying from there. Plymouth had thoughts of relocating its airport but I'm glad that idea hasn't resurfaced. The owners say they don't plan to lengthen the runway which idea had also been mooted.

I accept that in terms of the British economy civil aviation has been a great success and that government is keen to further expand airports. But I would say "enough is enough". From an environmental point of view surely we have sufficient planes flying around and that there has to be a top limit to the amount of flying permitted. As usual our politicians set a poor example: we had David Cameron making a private flight from Oxford to Hereford and we had Tony Blair flying up to Sedgefield in the north east to make his resignation speech. So, as ever, do as I say not do as I do.

New money for Newquay Airport?

On 12 December I reported that the South West Regional Development Agency had given £8 million to Newquay Airport which is shortly to lose some support structures when the MOD closes RAF St Mawgan. It now seems that under the Objective 1 scheme the airport might be in line to receive another £12 million for their expansion plans.

I have to say I do have a problem with the stance to take with regard to our love affair with the aeroplane. Without a doubt we and the rest of the world need to look seriously at the number of transport movements that are made, not just at a personal level but in jetting in out of season food from abroad as an example. So far as flying is concerned improving facilities at a peripheral airport such as Cornwall's Newquay is OK by me but building an additional runway at somewhere such as Stanstead is a definite no-no and Ryanair's Mike O'Leary can bleat as much as he likes about that! What we need to do is put a lid on the amount of air travel in the UK particularly regarding London's airports. The government seems happy to let passenger numbers explode - so much for their green credentials!

It is the case that air travel and its ancillary services plays a very big part in the UK economy particularly regarding employment but we have to strike a balance which means halting or even reducing the total number of airplane movements right NOW.