Stansted to be ‘given permission to increase passengers numbers to 40m’
06.07.08
Plans for a second runway at Stansted will be sent to a public inquiry by ministers this week - but the airport will also be given permission for a big increase in passenger numbers, the Times reports today. The newspaper says that passenger numbers could rise from the present 23.5m to as many as 40m following ministers’ decision to relax current restrictions and allow an increase in flights.
The move to a public inquiry on the £2.3 billion second runway means a final decision on whether it can go ahead is now not likely before 2011. Even if objections can be overcome, a new runway is not likely to open before the middle of the next decade, the newspaper reports.
In the meantime, BAA has pushed to have the current limits on passenger numbers lifted. The airport is at present limited to 25m passengers a year. Last year it handled 23.5m, although passenger numbers are falling this year, and could fall further in the current record fuel cost / weakening economy environment.
BAA wants the limit on passenger numbers scrapped, and replaced by a limit on the number of flights, with this increased from 241,000 a year to 261,000 a year. It says this should see Stansted grow to handle 35m passengers a year, while anti expansion campaigners says that it could mean as many as 40m.
Uttlesford District Council rejected the plan last year. It went to a public inquiry, which finished in October. A decision from the government has been expected since Christmas, and the Times says that it will come this week, and it will be in favour of the airport.
The newspaper also adds that the inquiry on the new runway - which could eventually take Stansted up to 80m passengers - is expected to start next spring, and take up to a year. A final decision from the government could take another year.
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