03.03.10
Bristol Airport's current facilities cannot cope with increasing demand and it must receive consent to expand, according to its chief executive. Ahead of today's decision by North Somerset Council on its £150m expansion plans, which include more multi-storey parking, expanded terminal and improved transport links, Robert Sinclair said: 'Last year the airport was used by 5.6m passengers. Tourists coming from overseas have nearly tripled since 2003.'
'Job numbers have doubled in the last decade and many people and businesses now make significant savings in time and money flying from their local airport. After a year during which passenger figures understandably dipped because of the downturn, we are seeing a return to growth. This will yet again expose the uncomfortable truth that our facilities aren't sufficient to meet the requirements of the resurgent region.'
The airport claims its passenger numbers will rise from 6m this year, to an annual total of 10m by 2020. Mr Sinclair added: 'Significant congestion already exists, particularly during peak times, when passengers face lengthy queues at security and immigration - both areas where we simply don't have space to expand without extending the terminal.' He also revealled that research by the airport confirmed in excess of 3,500 new job opportunities will be created if the plans are approved.
But anti-expansion campaigners have dismissed claims the airport should expand to deal with 10m passengers a year, and instead have insisted that not more than 8m people should use it annually. Jeremy Birch, of Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE), declared: 'While we recognise that Bristol Airport as it currently stands serves the area's business and leisure needs, we strongly believe that with proposals to expand to 10m passengers and more, any advantages will be far outweighed by detrimental impacts like increased traffic, noise, development of green-belt land and carbon emissions.'
'In 2007, 93% of passengers reached the airport by car, with the airport itself predicting only a minor reduction, to 85%, by 2019. This would mean 2m extra car journeys each year.'
The airport planning application will be decided at a special meeting of North Somerset Council at Weston Town Hall today at 18:00.
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