Representation by Alan Erskine
- Date submitted
- 19 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
There are fundamental flaws with this project and the premis of using the standby runway. Firstly, an increase in passenger numbers to the levels expected cannot be accommodated within the current modal transport infrastructure. The train station, even after improvements, will still be too small and at times will be dangerously overcrowded. The M23 is regularly congested and is not likely to get any better and local road are as bad. Secondly, as I live under the flight path, it is very obvious that flights are far less numerous during the day than they are in the evening, early morning or overnight. This leads to the conclusion that better use of available slots during the day would negate the need for a second operational runway. Thirdly, related to my point above, aircraft noise has steadily become worse over the last 20 years I have lived here and another runway would increase plane numbers and thereby noise. Finally, if growth is needed necessitating another runway why is it that flights are regularly cancelled in and out of Gatwick by its main carrier. If there was a lack of capacity then cancellations would be rare