Wiggins' routes discovered

A red letter day, dear reader. One of my undercover researchers (codename: Casey) has unearthed a map of the routes agreed between Wiggins and TDC many moons ago. Apparently one of the lead negotiators from the TDC side was Cllr Harrison. These 'people-friendly' routes didn't make it into the Section 106 Agreement due to an oversight by, er, Cllr Harrison. Shame.

These routes were mentioned at a meeting held at Manston, chaired by Cllr Harrison. I got the impression that they had somehow wisped away to nothingness, lost forever to the eyes of mortals. I'm pleased to have sight of them at last. I expect Infratil and TDC will be thrilled, too. Now that they don't have to go through the rigmarole of (re)negotiating effective noise abatement routes, they can use the time they've saved to install fixed noise monitors under the newly agreed routes.

click it to big it

click it to big it

The carefully drawn coloured lines on the map are explained by the accompanying colour-coded key.

The red route labelled 1 is the standard westward instrument departure route: by the time the plane is doubling back on itself and heading south, it's supposed to be at 3,000 feet and climbing. Route 2 is the alternative westward route; route 3 is the standard eastward instrument departure route. All of the other lines and boxes are explained in the key.

What I find interesting about this is that it so clearly shows what is achievable. The planes can fly more people-friendly routes. So what do you think the odds are of anything resembling this appearing in the next S106 Agreement?

Manston "overlooked" by airport planners

Airport planners have been accused of using out of date facts to ground Manston's chances of easing the looming capacity crisis. They dismissed Thanet's aviation jewel in a couple of paragraphs in the SERAS report that included a controversial airport at Cliffe marshes in a list of options.

But Wiggins Group has told the Government that its advisers overlooked the huge potential of Manston. In its official response to an inquiry into the future development of air transport, Wiggins said the consultants only visited the airport in 1999. Wiggins claimed they took no account of the expert study by Arthur D Little in 2001 suggesting that Manston had the potential to grow into a "sizeable" airport.

Manston, already strong in cargo, expects passenger numbers to grow to between four and six million over the next 10 years. This could rise to 15 million by 2020, the study said. Paul Tipple, Wiggins' head of strategy and development, dismissed SERAS claims that Manston was too remote to attract sizeable volumes of traffic. He said this ignored the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and the "very real prospect" of domestic services reducing journey times between London and East Kent to "just under the hour" by 2007. The report also "betrays an apparent ignorance of the relatively low cost of the necessary rail upgrades and improvements," he added.

Manston had fast road links and quick road access to Ramsgate, Dover and the Channel Tunnel terminal, reinforcing the airport's "attractiveness as a gateway to Europe". He also rejected claims that airport development was constrained by noise impact on Ramsgate.

"That aircraft noise is and will remain an important issue for any airport's operation is a reality that has somehow to be managed to the point that it is acceptable in relation to the wider benefits that an airport brings to the local and regional economies. At Manston, the airport and its Consultative Committee continue to work closely in identifying new noise management techniques (for example, noise abatement routes) that minimise the impact of aircraft noise over nearby villages and towns, including Ramsgate."

Extending the runway would also reduce noise levels, he said. Mr Tipple told ministers that its plans had the "unanimous" support of local villages and councils, as well as the East Kent Triangle Area Strategic Partnership. He ended his submission by saying that events had moved on since 1999 when the airport was:

"... in its infancy and having to manage on the basis of an outdated infrastructure. Whilst the potential that Manston currently has could not offer the solution to the capacity crisis in the South East, the airport already has the ability to make a major contribution to easing congestion at the main South East airports."

Manston already handles 40,000 tonnes of air freight a year, has the capacity to handle 200,000 tonnes, and the potential to boost that to 400,000 tonnes by 2020. Thanet council has already said it expects the airport to handle 250,000 tonnes of air freight by 2010. Trevor Herron, Thanet council director of planning, agreed that experts had dismissed Manston too lightly.

“They hadn’t really given Manston the attention it should have had. We were relegated to one of the minor airports and minor considerations.”

He said Manston had the sixth longest runway in the country and, railways apart, a good transport infrastructure. It was also outside the problem areas for air traffic control. While experts envisaged a maximum of about three million passengers by 2030, the council thought a more realistic figure was between six and 10 million. Manston could never become a fourth London airport, Mr Herron said, but it could contribute to taking the pressure off London and the need for a new hub.

“We’re very keen that Manston should play an important role in the future of air passenger movements in the London area. That’s not just optimism. We really do think it has the potential to do it.”

kentonline 14th Jan 2003

It's your choice, Manston told

Manston Airport has taken a step into the big league by unveiling an £8 million apron and taxiway. Aviation minister David Jamieson officially opened the 10 acres of concrete by cutting a ceremonial ribbon. The new facility can take more and larger aircraft under a master plan that could see £150 million invested in the Thanet airport, including a new terminal and fast rail links with London over the next 10 years.

These plans could see jobs rise from 400 to 6,000, and passenger numbers soar to thee million within five years. Talks are already well advanced with low-cost airlines to operate scheduled services and a deal could be finalised by the end of the year. Mr Jamieson, who arrived by helicopter, said the airport had developed "far beyond anyone's expectations". It was now the country's seventh biggest in terms of cargo handling. He said:

"The Government very much welcomes this development and we value the contribution that the airport makes to the local community, particularly in job creation."

Referring to the recent Government regional airport report that dismissed Manston's credentials in two paragraphs, Mr Jamieson said it was up to local people to say if they wanted more growth at Manston.

"What I've seen today is a very interesting new development but it's not for me to second-guess what the future of Manston is. People should respond to the consultation document and if they want more development at Manston, they should put that forward."

Dr Steve Ladyman, MP for Thanet South, said Manston was a significant regional airport and he was not disappointed by the report. That was about extra runway capacity for London.

"With the proximity of Ramsgate, we couldn't put up with the level of traffic that an international hub would require. I'm delighted with the scale that both the owners and Government have identified for Manston. It's jobs and no pain."

Tony Freudmann, for airport owner Wiggins, said the latest development was only the first phase:

"Within two years, this will be an airport that will be well-placed to see a very rapid growth in both cargo and passengers," he said. The government's report put forward ideas that were controversial and would take years to put into place. This airport is here, it exists, it has a runway long enough for international and inter-continental traffic and it has enough expansion land for the foreseeable future."

kentonline 1st Aug 2002

Manston not told of rival airport

Airport chiefs insist that plans for Manston will not be deflected by speculation about a new airport on north Kent marshland. Bosses at Wiggins Group, owners of London Manston, were surprised when they learned about the leaked proposal to develop Cliffe marshes, a unique wildlife site.

According to company sources, they were not consulted about the possibility of a rival terminal just 30 miles away. They also say that experts advising the government about possible sites to cope with the looming capacity crisis spent little time at Manston. In a preliminary report, Cliffe was mentioned as an option alongside possible extra runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

Wiggins has invested heavily in new navigation aids, is investing £7 million in a new apron and taxiways and has extensive plans for further development, including a new terminal. Before the shock revelations about Cliffe, the group said it hoped to create more than 6,000 jobs and attract 10 million passengers through the terminal over the next 15 years.

Airport director Alastair Robertson condemned the Cliffe proposal. He said:

"We see absolutely no point going through the considerable time, trouble and expansion of building a very speculative airport in an area of environmental sensitivity."

It was ludicrous to consider damaging a wildlife site "when you've got a perfectly viable alternative at Manston which is already operating".

kentonline 12th Mar 2002