MP for East Surrey Peter Ainsworth has criticised plans announced by Biggin Hill aerodrome to expand, becoming a fully-fledged commercial airport.
The Master Plan for expansion – dressed up as ‘Meeting the Local Demand to Travel’ – proposes the introduction of passenger services, with half a million passengers and 10,000 flights a year.
Peter Ainsworth commented:
‘Biggin Hill’s bosses know local people do not need or want another airport on their doorstep with all the noise disruption pollution and congestion that it would cause, yet they persist in their efforts to transform a local aerodrome into a fully-fledged airport. Their plans for passenger flights would require a renegotiation of their lease with Bromley Borough Council, and for the sakes of my constituents I am strongly urging them to reject any such application.’
Peter Ainsworth said Biggin Hill was complacent in claiming traffic ‘would be either within the capacity of the road network or, where pre-existing demand already exceeds capacity, would not make any perceptible difference’ (A Future for Biggin Hill Airport, page 39).
‘The suggestion that rebuilding Biggin Hill aerodrome into a regional commercial airport will not increase traffic is either unbelievably stupid or pure brass neck’.
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