Manchester Airports Group urges Govt to support regional hubs
Manchester Airports Group has called on the Government match its commitment to Heathrow with equal measure in the regions.
MAG, owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, has written to the Government in response to its Aviation Strategy Green Paper.
In the letter, MAG says regional airport expansion ‘will do far more to secure economic growth and rebalancing across the UK than a third runway at Heathrow’
The letter says: "We welcome the Government’s support for the sustainable growth of aviation and making best use of existing runway capacity – this clear framework will allow airports to continue generating economic and social benefits for the UK.
"With their spare runway capacity, our airports will play a strategic role in meeting growing aviation demand in the UK over coming decades, supported by significant investment new terminal facilities and infrastructure.
"The Government must now match its commitment to delivering new capacity at Heathrow, with an equal commitment to support the future growth of airports like Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands.
"Growth at these airports will do far more to secure economic growth and rebalancing across the UK than a third runway at Heathrow. Growth needs to drive the creation of a Global Britain by improving international connectivity in the places where it is needed most – in the North and the Midlands, as well as the South.
"Our airports urgently need better transport links to realise their full potential. What we need now from Government is an ambitious strategy for the whole of the UK – that commits Government to delivering these transport links as part of a joined-up plan to grow international connectivity from every part of the country.
"None of the UK’s global competitors take such a ‘hands off’ approach to major infrastructure planning, and as a result many of our competitor airports across Europe and the World are growing their global connections faster than we are."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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