Representation by MAG (MAG )
- Date submitted
- 20 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
London Stansted is the third busiest airport in London and the fourth busiest in the UK. Prior to the pandemic it served 28 million passengers a year and has now recovered over 90 per cent of those volumes, making it the fastest recovering major airport in the UK. The airport serves a wide catchment across the East of England and the wider Southeast. The airport is also a major employer in Essex and strong driver of regional growth. Before the pandemic, it supported 23,300 jobs and GVA of £1.9bn. We rely on safe and efficient road infrastructure to provide our passengers and employees with predictable journeys to and from the airport. In addition, London Stansted is one of the country’s most important airports for cargo, relying on the road network to move goods and support UK trade. The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is a welcome measure to reduce congestion on the Dartford Crossing which contributes to delays in passenger and freight trips to and from the airport. More broadly, we support new infrastructure investment that spurs regional economic growth to create a more affluent catchment. For example, the LTC would open up new markets for local businesses based in Essex and help them grow. Finally, we are pleased to see the LTC has been designated as a pathfinder project to explore carbon neutral construction and help the UK reach net zero by 2050. We understand that operational emissions from the scheme will be largely mitigated by the increased penetration of low emissions vehicles.