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A white
paper looking at aviation over the next thirty years is expected
to recommend further airport expansion to cater for the UK's growing
air travel demands.
And it's likely to focus on Manchester becoming a bigger Northern
gateway airport for the UK.
One option could be the building of a third runway.
However, the airport says there will be no need for an extra runway
until 2030.
From BBC News>>
'No
need for third runway'
Passenger demand is already rising. The number of people flying
out of Manchester is now more than 18m per year. Experts predict
that could rise to a staggering 60m a year by 2030.
Environmentalists who fought and lost the battle to halt Manchester's
second runway
will be horrified. The battle of Arthur's Wood is still keenly felt.
See War in
the woods >>>
What do you think? Should Manchester look to the future and
push for a third runway and all the economic benefits and jobs that
go with it? Or are the skies over Manchester too crowded already?
Have Your Say >>>
From
Nick in Preston
Build a third runway, and a couple more terminals, and do it soon
to keep Manchester as the UK's No1 provincial airport. It will also
offer the people of the North of England far more choice - I still
have to fly out of London for smaller European and most long-haul
destinations - Lets see flights from MAN to places like Brest & Biarritz,
Sydney & San Francisco ! This city has improved itself massively in
the last 15 years - keep the momentum going !
From
Dan, Manchester
Just adding to the comment made 'why don't we expand Liverpool', unfortunately
Liverpool has no room at all to expand. On one side is a muddy estuary,
and on the other, business units and a large housing estate. Manchester
is by far the preferred option, and if we can stop these ridiculous
ferry/shuttle flights to London that would be one really good advantage!
From
Phil in Hyde, Manchester
Apparently the 2nd runway is hardly used according to a friend
who works there so I dont think there is a need for a 3rd until more
terminals are built and more airlines can afford the large charges
imposed by manchester airport for using the airport. people talking
about a 3rd runway opening a gateway for 747s is a load of rubbish,
the exisiting runways are more than capable of holding larger aircraft
such as an-124 which visit every now and again. theres no good in
building a runway that wont be used until sufficient passengers are
there to use it, so i say build more terminals!
From
Vicky Hincks, Liverpool
yes because you can have larger aircraft landing (i.e - 747 "jumbo"),
more flights and wider variety of destinations.
From
Vicky, Stockport
3rd runway? Why not. It's about time Manchester had as much credibility
as London - after all - we're the better city! More long haul flights
could be made available and hence reduce the need for shuttles to
London. It would also encourage tourism further North to the Peak
District & Lake District for international vistors. So not only would
jobs be created within the airport but also in surrounding areas.
We up north have a lot more to offer than London so lets grab the
opportunity with both hands & expand.If people didn't take the chance
to progress & move with the times because of this that & the other,
we'd still be living with dirt traks, no running water, no electricity
etc etc. Get with times objecters!
From
Steve Shannon, Altrincham
It seems to me that the argument for expansion rests on predictions
of an unending increase in demand for air travel. History teaches
us that predictions and forecasts are notoriously fallible, never
more so than when projections are far into the future. We should remember
that in reality nobody can predict the future with any certainty.
Trends can change, sometimes dramatically. e.g., consider the impact
of the events of Sept 11th 2001 on air travel. Consider also the possible
impact of low cost, high speed conferencing - reducing the need for
business travel. Consider the impact of changes in the cost of fuels.
Oil price changes in the 1970s dramatically impacted economics globally.
Whilst it is true that many would like to see expansion for benefits
to employment etc (I accept this is a legitimate point of view) we
should remember that there are real dis-benefits too.
1. More traffic on a road infrastructure that is already creaking
badly under the weight of ever increasing traffic - congestion and
increased air and noise pollution. Addressing this will be hugely
expensive.
2. It is easier to approve such expansion if the probable negative
consequences don't impact you in your own back yard -the classic NIMBY
syndrome.
3. Some of the traffic may be more efficiently carried by rail. Investment
in railways has demonstrated even this week that London can be reached
in 2 hrs 9 minutes from city centre to city centre. This probably
cannot be bettered by air given the waiting time and delays at airports
and the time travelling from airports to the city centre.
4. The subject of the environment should not be considered as the
sole province of cranks, students and "sandal-wearing lefties" but
as the legitimate business of all human beings; environmental costs,
are still costs. They will have to paid for even if they appear less
tangible and obvious than those normally associated with profit
and loss
accounts. Is it just a coincidence that many more people today suffer
from asthma and respiratory problems than in earlier generations?
How much is that costing the nation? Are we content that our children
and theirs in the future should have to contend with such threats
to health?
5. Even if the growth forecasts are correct, why the need for such
indecent haste to expand now to meet a demand in 2030? If the planners
are wrong we may succeed in damaging the quality of life for many
people in the immediate surrounding area for an illusory gain.
6. Not all employment at the airport is well paid or even full-time.
We should take account of the quality of employment created there
not just the number of jobs.
7. Even if expansion of passenger numbers proves necessary, travellers
all want to commute to Manchester if they could fly from smaller regional
airports? We are constantlt assailed by claims that bigger is better
- but is that true? Over- concentration of development has brought
negative consequences for life in the South-East in terms of housing
costs and congestion.
8. Should the aircraft industry be artificially subsidised? If the
true financial costs were being met by passengers, demand levels may
even drop.
I do not so much argue against development at Manchester Airport;
rather I argue for full open and honest debate of issues which affect
us all; there appears to be little evidence in support of a headlong
dash into further expansion, especially since the 2nd runway gives
plenty of opportunity for expansion within existing resources for
some time to come.
From
Tim, Manchester
Yes, I think eventually a third runway would be good for manchester,
but i dontr see the current terminal complex handling the new onslaught
of traffic it would bring. The Airport authorities should first think
of building a new terminal before another runway is added. Also, if
new intercontinental flights were added, eg to North america, australasia
and asia, then it would certainly take the strain off london, which
handles many passengers from northern england, scotland and ireland
wanting to go far afield on long-haul flights.
From
Cooper, Los Angles/USA
It might increase the number of flights. That means the fares would
be alot lower. That would allow me to visit Manchester more to see
my favorite city in the world!
From
John, Bramhall
Why is a third runway needed? Gatwick with a far greater number of
flights than Manchester only has one runway now.
From
Andy Moore, Preston
Why not operate more charter flights out of other regional airports
which are under used, such as Liverpool and Blackpool. This would
open up Manchesters potential to handle more Scheduled flights especialy
to Asia / USA which in many cases only operate out of London.
From
Marcus in Maidstone
It would make no difference if Manchester had 2 or 3 runways most
airlines want to fly to London. Why would anyone want to fly to London
I'll never know
From
neil in sale
To Craig in Brooklands I am from Sale and i thought there already
was a thrid runway i think there should be a forth runway and then
we could show the world Manchesters full potential.
From
Phil in Manchester
Manchester has to have a third runway for a reason I don't think has
been considered. The south east air space is over crowded, and yet
for many long haul flights we (in the North) have to get a shuttle
to London to get a another flight out to our destination. Why not
cut the shuttle and use Manchester (and Glasgow) as regional hubs
for more destinations? it would reduce flights in to and out of the
London airports.
From
Richard Hincks in Liverpool
Instead of expanding Manchester - why not expand Liverpool?
From
Mark Alliance in Manchester
yes i think it would be very good to have a third runnway because
then you can have more biger planes like 747 planes and more direct
flights to say like to eilat tel aviv los avegele new yourk and many
more places and a lot more people will use manchester airport every
day.
From
- Dan in Manchester
Like most of you, I agree with the third runway - it will only
be built somewhere else, as we have a thirst for air travel - why
not Manchester? It would be good for the local economy, provide better
road/rail/met transport links and our city would have the opportunity
to become a true London rival - surely healthy for the whole country's
economy.
From
Matthew in Woodhouse Park
Whilst it is essential that the airport expands at a rate that
equals or exceeds demand, perhaps it would be opportune to remember
that until only 20 years ago, the airport had 3 runways anyway! the
original third runway was taken out of use to enable expansion, the
second to facilitate the changes necessary to build the new second
runway. As for the issue of protest, it is a sad fact that the people
who complain loudest about expansion can best afford to do without
it. I wouldnt buy a house next to an airport and expect things to
stay the same, and I speak from experience, I live 600yrds from Runway
1
From
Anonymous
As the brand new runway already has strong restrictions upon exactly
when it can be used surely the extra capacity could be provided by
opening runway two. Heathrow only has two runways and they manage
to cope with the massive demand placed on their tarmac... surely the
money for a new runway would be better utilised to make the skies
of London safer. Manchester does NOT have a congestion problem. Otherwise
we'll soon have enough runways to allocate one for each aircraft.
From
David in Droylsden
Got to look to the furture of the city, all the jobs which will
be made.
From
Stephen in Runcorn
Air traffic in the UK is going to expand somewhere so it may as
well be in Manchester, which is already an excellent airport with
good transport links (though access from the M56 needs improvement).
Also it does not make sense to split the traffic across the UK’s airports,
as you need a hub for interconnecting travel.
From
Gus in Manchester
Improving the local economy and cities reputation, is far more important
than a slight environmental concern. The airport is basically in cheshire,
a rich county with vast areas of countryside. The effect would be
a drop in the ocean.
From
ANTHONY GOODRIDGE in Gloucester, Ont Can
I was recently in Manchester,the airport is in need of expansion,due
to lots of people coming and going through Manchester.
From
Richard Singleton in Abingdon, Oxon
Manchester needs this expansion to compete with the major cities
around the world. The UK government seems to be biased towards handing
everything to London (millenium money, national stadium, Olympics)
so Manchester needs to take care of itself and think of its future.
From
Sceptical of "Progress" on Hyde, Cheshire
Yes, lets all "look to the future and the benefits & opportunities
for ourselves & our children". Just fine & dandy I say - that is if
in the meantime we don't have a Third World War, get hit by an asteroid,
or indeed, die of lung disease from all the air pollution caused by
this modernist fashion to be "on the move" at all costs. What with
the calls for yet more motorways, extra lanes on the existing ones
and now a THIRD runway for Manchester?? Are we not in danger of forgetting
the drawbacks? What pleasure that can be had from hearing birdsong
and walking or cycling 'neath stately trees, a green landscape in
the distance? But hey, never mind, because they go everywhere by car,
moped or 'plane already our kids will have long since lost the need
for legs, so "a stroll through the countryside" won't mean much to
them anyway......
From
darren
yes,yes,yes and oh yes build the 3rd runway before the scousers get
on the bandwagon and we become the 4th city in the uk behind the slow
midlanders and the granny stabbers.forget the stumpy or swampy unwashed
punk family loser crew hugging trees just for the sake of it,live
for today....we should grow now and grow fast cos we and only we can
shape our future.
From
hector lexington-smythe in wilmslow
one solution would be to flatten the despot known as "wythenshaw"
and build any further runways to the north of the existing airport
From
Brynton Chester, Manchester
We need this expansion for the sake of the future of Manchester. If
this aiport is not expanded perhaps some other city will grab the
oppurtunity to expand their own (Birmingham, Leeds-Bradford, Liverpool
etc). We have enough trouble on our hands with the West Coast main
line possibly affecting this Citys business. If Manchester is to really
transform itself in the 21st Century then I feel the expansion essential.
Surely the benefits outweigh any negative aspects?
From
Craig, Brooklands
I think Manchester Airport should grab all possible opportunities
to expand, a third runway is a great idea. I would expect further
terminals to be built also. The Airport were very sensitive when it
came to building the second runway, further expansion of Manchester
is essential. I guess we will get the usual complaints from the snobs
of Hale, Sale, Altrincham and Wilmslow non of their predicted catastrophe's
happened when the second runway was built. I would hope that this
time when the protesters get up any trees, that the trees are cut
down with or without the great unwashed in them. Our airport need
to grow along with our great city.
From
N Huddlestone, Altrincham, Cheshire
The airport is situation in a highly populated area. A third runway
would mean more jobs for the people in that area. Surely that is a
good thing. Shouldn't we look to the future and think about the benefits
and opportunities it could provide for us and our children.
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