Representation by J D I Baker
- Date submitted
- 8 October 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I support the principle of the proposals, and I hope that the Airport will be reopened. It is a tragedy that the Airport has lain unused for so long, adding nothing to the local economy and wasting away.
Manston Airport is one of the best sites in Britain for an airport, for the following reasons:- · it is within an hour by train from London (when Thanet Parkway station opens, which is expected before the Airport will reopen); · it is near to both London and European city markets; · it is in an elevated, almost totally fog-free location; with excellent all-round visibility; · the climate is as dry as Jerusalem; · it is approached mainly over the open sea; · it has a very long, flat runway capable of taking the largest global planes.
It would be a national scandal to lose this site to aviation forever. Once redeveloped for other built development, the Airport could never be reclaimed for that use. And the jobs that would be created by reopening the Airport are badly needed in East Kent. Thanet is a former EU Objective 2 Assisted Area and still has very high relative unemployment and low skills. The investment that both the construction and operation phases of the Airport will bring is very welcome.
But I do not think that sufficient detailed thought has been put into the infrastructure implications, especially:-
Highways I am very concerned about the impact of Manston's HGVs on the A299, M2 and A2, all the way to the Dartford Crossing. Traffic flow on the two-lane sections of the A299 and M2 is seriously impeded by HGVs trying to overtake each other and this happens regularly NOW, let alone when the Airport is operating. I consider that the traffic modelling for the Airport needs to examine the issue of free traffic flow and journey delays as far west as M2 junction 4, where the three-lane motorway begins. This must also consider the proposal to build an M2 Junction 5A, south of Sittingbourne, which will have the effect of drawing some traffic which currently joins/leaves the M2 at Junction 5 further east, along a further stretch of the M2’s two-lane carriageway with a bad RTC record. Furthermore, KCC wishes to transfer Dover Eastern Docks traffic onto the M2, under its "Bifurcation of Port Traffic" proposals (see [Redacted], on page 14). It is by no means clear that KCC's proposals, and the traffic modelling behind them, allowed for the Airport reopening. And on top of all of the above, we now have the prospect that Operation Brock will severely reduce the capacity of the M20, resulting in even more traffic using the M2 to and from East Kent. This must be modelled too. Potential solutions to these issues include elements of M2 widening/enhancement, and the Airport operators avoiding HGV use of the A299 and M2 during peak hours.
Railways Insufficient plans are put forward for railfreight to/from the Airport. The Airport needs to be planned from the beginning to enable rail use as traffic grows. For example, the largest warehouses need to be located on the south side of the Airport and A299, in order to give access to the railway line. Warehousing built to the north of the Airport will make it very hard to establish a railway connection in the future, and this undermines the sustainability credentials of the project. The proposals should include more rail-facing proposals, in the interests of taking the opportunities available for sustainable transport, reducing motor vehicle use and the associated particulate emissions, carbon emissions, noise, wear and tear on roads, and other pollutants. This is particularly important because the Airport is close to the Sandwich Bay SPA, a sensitive area for nitrogen deposition.
Emergency Services The proposals need to assess the arrangements for the local emergency services and hospitals to cope with a large-scale disaster at the Airport, and what back-up/resilience arrangements are needed in that respect. The Airport is effectively on a peninsular, and emergency reinforcements (and overflow hospital accommodation) can only be found some distance to the west. This makes the emergency arrangements very dependent on only one main road west (the A299), and in the event of any problems with that road, access to and from the Airport for emergency services and evacuation would be very difficult. I would like to see contingency plans in place to address all of these risks. This may include increasing local emergency service provision in the vicinity of the Airport, in order to avoid undue demands on emergency services in other parts of Kent, to the detriment of emergency cover for existing residents and businesses there.
Skills The promoters need to commit to maximise the number of LOCAL people taken on, including taking on local apprentices at an early stage who will "grow" with the airport. Local workers will be ambassadors for the airport project in the community. It is always surprising how the community local to the two Dungeness nuclear power stations support what might normally be seen as dangerous impositions on a local community by remote national interests. But the jobs and training that are provided for the local community engender much support and good feeling. The Airport should ensure it is fully embedded in the local community.
Cultural Heritage There is an opportunity to enhance the Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum and RAF Manston History Museum as part of the project. This could be done effectively by adding to their site a viewing gallery over the Airport, and giving them better publicity incuding such things as providing vouchers for discounts with bookings made, to encourage passengers to visit either before departing or after arriving in the Airport. This would make Manston unique, and more of a "day out" when seeing off or welcoming friends and family.