Soapbox: Bristol Airport expansion backed
I write with regard to online comments (Evening Post, August 26, "Council opposes airport plans").
The majority supported the expansion plans and condemned the decision of Bristol Council to oppose them.
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Years ago, Portbury Dock lost money hand over fist when in council hands. Once privatised, it became a profit-making business and created many extra jobs for the Bristol area.
Similarly, Bristol International Airport meandered along when under the control of Bristol Council, despite the valiant efforts of the late Les Wilson. Now privately run, it is a success and has also created many new jobs.
It is interesting to read that Cardiff City Council would welcome any expansion to their airport and gratefully accept any "trade" BIA would lose if the expansion was denied.
But then just compare Cardiff with Bristol. Cardiff has superb entertainment facilities, a brand new football stadium and an international football stadium. This is called progress; what do we do in Bristol?
1. Cancellation of plans for a new concert hall near Temple Meads; 2. Lukewarm support for Bristol City's plans to build a new stadium; 3. Opposition to the expansion of Bristol airport. All these ventures would create jobs, increase visitor numbers and put Bristol on the map in a big way.
One could ask why has the inward-looking Bristol City Council the right to comment on the airport's expansion? The airport is not even in Bristol. Is it sour grapes due to the fact that BIA has made such great strides since being privatised compared to the days when it was under total council control?
Let's hope Somerset County Council is more forward-looking than Bristol and that the expansion plans are approved. It is important to realise that BIA needs expansion to create more room and comfort for current passengers, as well as the needs of the future.
Finally, may I suggest that if BIA is to get a new name that Les Wilson Airport would be more appropriate than Adge Cutler Airport (Evening Post, August 26).
John Beesley, Address supplied.
Comments
by MendipMan, Wurzel Country
Tuesday, September 08 2009, 7:21PM
“Somerset County Council will not have responsibility to decide on the planning application, it will be North Somerset Unitary Authority. The smallest authority in the West of England will decide on the future of a major, sub-regional facility - madness!
Their track record suggests they are not in favour of airport expansion and are likely to reject the application which, fortunately, will lead to an appeal by the airport and a probable planning enquiry, although much time and expense will be wasted.
Cardiff as a city does have facilities that Bristol lacks but only because public money is showered on it - eight times as much as Bristol gets.
Bristol generates more wealth and is expected to fund its own facilities.
Bristol said there might be a shortfall of £80 million for its arena and the project was cancelled because the public purse would not contribute. At the same time Liverpool Arena was completed with £150 million of public money, includng £50 million from the EU.
Back to the airport, it is true that Cardiff Airport, a desperately under-performing airport, is backed by its local authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government who would be delighted to get some of Bristol's traffic.
The WAG is at this moment trying to establish how it can use public money to support Cardiff Airport whereas the success of Bristol Airport is entirely down to private enterprise.
The market says Bristol Airport is successful and the market says it can be more successful.
Only parochial, short-sighted local politicians, many of whom have run nothing bigger than a bring-and-buy sale, and tree huggers say it won't be.”