The Chief Executive Officer of London Stansted, Ken O’Toole,
today called on local businesses, community leaders and regional
organisations to make their voices heard and press Government for
upgrades to the rail links to the airport.
Addressing over 150 delegates at the annual Stansted Area
Transport Forum, Mr O’Toole said better connectivity in and
out of the airport will further boost the local economy, make new
journeys viable for local residents, ease access for the 12,000
on-site workforce and help attract a greater number of airlines
and new destinations.
Mr O’Toole asked attendees to use the on-going Aviation Strategy
consultation process as an opportunity to communicate direct to
Government the need for better rail connections into Stansted.
Ken O’Toole said:
“How easy it is for people to access Stansted, be they
passengers, our workforce or business partners, will be one of
the primary drivers behind our future growth – growth that will
in turn ensure that the UK, and particularly the East of England,
remains connected to international economies and all the
opportunities they have to offer.
“Airport development and surface access into airports should not
be considered independently from each other; they should be
considered together as part of an integrated transport strategy.
Where surface access to airports is suitably well developed,
economic activity that would otherwise not occur is generated;
through tourism, international trade, productivity improvements
and attracting of foreign investment.
“What a lot of people don’t realise is that often it only has to
be incremental improvements to airport access that can make a
significant difference - the Airport Operators Association
estimates that a 5% improvement in average journey times to and
from UK airports could deliver a 2.7% increase in passenger
numbers, generating an additional £1.9 billion for the UK economy
and supporting an additional 32,000 jobs.
“As an airport, our mission is two-fold: to meet the needs of
those using the airport but also to ensure that the local
community can travel, to trade, to find employment, to develop
their careers and allow the region to continue to prosper.
“Whilst there is much to cheer in terms of surface access into
Stansted, a perennial area of focus for us since we acquired the
airport in 2013, has been decreasing journey times between London
and the airport – a move which will have significant benefits for
passengers, our workforce and commuters.
“Our view that journey times need to come down has been endorsed
by both the Airports Commission and West Anglia Task Force but
unfortunately these requests have fallen on deaf ears within
central Government and Network Rail, despite the number of
passengers and commuters using the Stansted Express growing by
143% since 2013.
“Of course, journey time improvements require infrastructure
investment. Whilst we are prepared to proportionately contribute
to the costs involved in seeing journey times lowered, any
significant improvement will require considerable
investment.
“Therefore, my ask to everyone here today is clear. Please take
it upon yourselves to communicate directly to government, through
its current Aviation Strategy consultation process, about the
need for better rail connections into Stansted Airport and how
these will benefit you, your family, your business or
organisation and the wider region. Hopefully, together we can
collectively deliver the transport improvements that this region
and the country deserves.”
