Plans for runway expansion shelved

RobitTV

The planned extension of the runway at Waterford Regional Airport to facilitate larger aircraft and open up new international routes will not receive any support from the Government.

The ambitious development, which was first mooted 10 years ago, had been given the green light for funding but frozen by the Minister for Transport in 2008.

In a further blow, in the past week, contained in the Department of Transport’s Value for Money Review it was stated that in the current financial circumstances the report was not supportive of providing the previously agreed funding.

Disappointed at the news the airport’s Chief Executive, Graham Doyle, said that while current economic conditions might not be favourable to the drawing down of government grants, the State investment necessary to upgrade the runway was approximately €8m above the €6m required to be spent on general upgrading of equipment and infrastructure in Waterford over the next three years.

Mr Doyle commented, “While Waterford Airport has always been run very tightly, we are very anxious to increase revenues through substantially higher passenger throughput, which in turn will increase the already significant economic benefit of direct air access to the South East.
“The airport wishes to target total passenger numbers of 500,000 – this target is predicated on the ability to operate larger aircraft and being allowed to move ahead with runway development. However, the report does leave open the opportunity to revisit the issue.”

The chief executive said it was positive that the Department of Transport, at a time when it is recommending a radical cut in support to some regional airports, had recognised the importance of Waterford Airport to the economy of the South East.

It notes that Waterford is the second most used regional airport behind Knock in terms of the percentage of overseas visitors visiting the region who use the airport.
In fact, over 50% of all traffic through Waterford Airport represents visitors originating from the UK into Waterford and the South East.
(Source: News and star)

Sully

Mod Note

Still posting and not actually contributing anything OP? I think we have given plenty of warnings about this, so ill close this topic and you can take a short holiday.

Topic Closed