Doncaster Sheffield - General Thread

[Aviador]

Airport bosses back aviation jobs campaign

BOSSES at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport are backing a campaign which they claim could create thousands of new jobs in the region.
Flying Matters, a pro-aviation coalition, has launched an industry-wide bid to encourage politicians to support continued airport modernisation and development around the UK, claiming it will bring work to the UK and Doncaster.

Neil Pakey, deputy chief executive of Peel Airports, owners of Doncaster Sheffield Airport said: "It is essential that airports such as Doncaster Sheffield can continue to grow and expand bringing future benefits to the economy.

"The airport has recently applied to lift certain nightime restrictions to help attract freight business and this campaign similarly highlights the job creation and economic benefits that airport developments can bring.

"In addition, the importance of tourism to the UK and the regions was highlighted at last week's National Tourism Summit. As gateways for visitors to the regions, Doncaster Sheffield and other airports will need to continue to develop, if we are to capitalise on future tourism opportunities."

International visitors to Yorkshire are expected to double to 2 million a year by 2030 and it could create thousands of new jobs in the tourism sector alone.

The owners of Doncaster Sheffield and Leeds Bradford airports say developments planned over the next 20 years are expected to bring millions of pounds in additional revenue.

The plans to remove restrictions on night flying from Doncaster would see an end to a ban on noisier aircraft known as QC4s from flying at Robin Hood at night.

Managers are concerned an outright ban is hampering efforts to find a freight operator to base itself at the site.

But the campaign group Finningley Airport Network has raised concerns the move would leave people living near the airport exposed to night-time noise pollution.

Doncaster Green Party chairman Rick Rolt said he welcomed jobs for Doncaster but could not understand how aviation could be expanded if it meant more carbon emissions against the backdrop of climate change.

Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer said: "Expanding airports would have a disastrous impact on our ability to meet our legal obligation to tackle climate change.

"Ministers must urgently review their aviation strategy and scrap their airport expansion plans."

Source

 

[pug]

Not only are they campaigning to overturn the noise restrictions agreed upon for planning approval, they want £250 million to build the so called FARRS waste of money.

A link to a relevant article here...

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... esourview/

 

[Aviador]

Pug, that link doesn't work for me. Do you have access to the original article by any chance?

 

[pug]

Efforts to secure funding for two transport schemes in Bradford now rest on the collapse of another priority project elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Low Moor rail station and stage three of the Connecting Airedale project have been placed on a list of “first reserve” schemes that would be given top priority if an approved project fell through.

And there are predictions that one of those approved schemes – a £250m project to improve the South Yorkshire road network around Robin Hood Airport – might not happen.

Yesterday, representatives of Bradford Council joined members of every other local authority in Yorkshire to “squabble” over which should receive funding from the Regional Transport Board.

The Bradford representatives asked for £34.4m for Connecting Airedale stage three, a scheme that would involve highways improvements on Canal Road and bus priority measures on the A650 quality bus corridor.

They also put forward the case for £5.6m to be spent re-opening Low Moor station.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said: “We got a good result because Connecting Airedale and Low Moor station are now in the Leeds City Region’s first priority grouping.

“Some of the projects will never happen, including a quarter of a billion pound scheme in South Yorkshire. When that money comes into the pot, our schemes are waiting.”

Bradford Councillor Chris Greaves, who is also chairman of West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, said: “The bottom line is we have all been squabbling for funding because there is an inadequate amount of money coming to the region.

“We could be building Low Moor and we could be Connecting Airedale right now but we can’t because of this pie in the sky scheme to improve roads around Robin Hood.”

From the same source.

 

[Aviador]

We could be building Low Moor and we could be Connecting Airedale right now but we can’t because of this pie in the sky scheme to improve roads around Robin Hood.”

Sums things up really. :reallyshocked:

A project we all know is destined to failure and yet they just keep trying to through money at it. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and the Robin Hood scheme will not go ahead. Not suggesting at all that all the money should go to the schemes highlighted in that article but £250m pounds is a lot of money and could be far better spent else where.

Robin Hood Airport - Fantasy Island ? Hmm !

 

[pug]

I dont know A-H, the road links for Rossington and Bawtry are more than adequate... Yes i agree that it is wrong to send airport traffic around the suburbs, but there are far far more pressing road schemes in Yorkshire to consider. The building of the road just adds the tax payers money into Peels pockets, i believe it is one big con.

You know that they've put money forward for the Castle street improvement in Hull? Its a fraction of the cost of the 'link road'. Thing is the origional plan is 'too expensive' and that was less than £250 million. That realy is something that needs sorting out, it is horrendous due to the daily ferry crossings. That is another important road scheme losing out if Peel get their way.

 

[Aviador]

Or they could even use the money to help pay off the bridge giving thousands of motorists a free ride.

 

[pug]

Or they could even use the money to help pay off the bridge giving thousands of motorists a free ride.

I completely agree, i want to see this 'Hull and Humber City Region' get off the ground and gain some international recognition for once. I do think the bridge tolls are holding it back, and the abolition of these would be a major catalysyt for growth.

I dont know the details of the DSA link road scheme but I would hope Peel would be making a contribution. If not it would seems a bit unfair since their airport would be one of the major beneficiaries

As far as im aware, Peel have contibuted their bit by building the new access road... The £250 million is more than twice the amount invested by Peel to build the airport. They are persuing the link road by putting outrageous and incredibly over exaggerated growth figures into their 'masterlan'.

I feel the only ones to benefit would be Peel, it would increase the value of their landhold due to having good links to the motorway... It is therefore, pie in the sky..

How about some investment into the dualling of the A15 and A46 for a quick access to the A1 southbound to London from Hull? Dualling the A164 to the A1079, then dualling the A1079 to York? All of these roads are operating way above capacity and all have high casualty rates.

 

[pug]

Bosses at Robin Hood airport have announced that under a new proposal to streamline airport operations, around nine top-level jobs may become untenable. Peel Airports, the owner of the struggling airport, wants to improve staff development opportunities whilst maintaining a steadfast approach to escalating financial woes.
The past year has not been kind to Robin Hood airport. The collapse of world markets has exacerbated an already-critical financial situation and, despite the release of a number of documents detailing prospective rescue plans, the airport continues to struggle on the brink of insolvency, unable to secure any kind of financial support from Doncaster council.
A recent survey revealed that Robin Hood airport is very popular with customers travelling for leisure reasons. The company is expected to remain in the red until 2010 but the new ski season should provide the airport with a substantial capital boost.
The recent threat of redundancy may hint at an increasingly severe financial situation. It is interesting to note that only two days after Peel Airports promised to create 17,000 new jobs over the next twenty years, the company threatened to axe a significant proportion of their operational staff.
Mike Morton, a spokesperson for Robin Hood, blamed the recent ‘credit crunch’ for the airport’s woes: “These are some of the most difficult trading conditions the aviation industry has experienced in decades.”
Robin Hood airport has been the subject of several damning newspaper reports and it seems increasingly likely that the owners are using the credit crunch as a scapegoat to avoid admitting the extent of the airport’s debts to the media.

 

[Aviador]

Not a good situation to be in at all and thing look set to get even worse.

Ryanair have just announced that they are cutting flights to Poland from most UK airports and you have to wonder how long Wizz can maintain their operation at Doncaster. If Ryanair are finding it hard to fill aircraft to Poland, Wizz must be struggling on the similar routes that they operate.

 

[pug]

Thats true, plus factor in a potential mass downscale from TOM at the end of the next winter season and you have some dire situations. FR have already gone to 3-4 weekly flightas to DUB down from daily. BE are not doing too good and the are now doen to 6 weekly flights (subsidised by a Yorkshire development fund) which will run out eventualy and possibly stop that route.

I dont think there is a true daily service from DSA anymore, there is next to nothing to diversify traffic and that must reflect demand and the area in which the airports 'strengths' are.

How long can it go on like this before it starts coming apart? Surely the local authoritioes are realising that ploughing money into this, like the link road scheme, would be yet more of a waste of tax payers money? They should have learnt from the SZD scam by now.

 

[Aviador]

Council objects to cargo flights

ARMTHORPE Parish Council has objected to plans to lift restrictions on night-time cargo flights at Robin Hood Airport.

Peel Airports, owners of the Finningley site, want to overturn a ban on noisier aircraft such as Boeing 747s flying at night to bring it in line with other airports that transport cargo.

During Armthorpe's February parish council meeting, councillors unanimously objected to the plans citing an increase in noise during the night.

Coun Tony Brown said: "Do we really want to be woken up in the middle of the night all the time? I think that is what it comes down to from us as residents."

Pressure group Finningley Airport Network has also protested against the proposals.

A consultation period into the proposals closed on January 30. The application is now due to go before Doncaster Council's planning committee.

Source

 

[Aviador]

I think Doncaster council will give the airport permission to relax its night flight curfue in light of the economic climate despite Armthorp Parish Council objections.

 

[pug]

Im not sure, i think its more the point of going completely against their own penalty scheme on night flights to get the green light on development only to turn back when things are not working out. Its fair enough if they get the ban overturned but exactly how much will it bring in considering EMA down the road?

 

[pug]

Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield has seen an increase in bookings despite a national downturn in people travelling abroad.


The year on year increase has seen passenger numbers who have booked on Robin Hood Airport’s website and call centre up by 15.5% in January 2009.


Jodi Stow, Marketing and Communications Manager from Robin Hood Airport said: “We are really pleased to be able to report a year on year increase in bookings for travel from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

“The figures represent a good mix of business flights and package holiday flights at a time when the travel trade nationally is reporting to be anywhere between 20 – 40% down year on year.

“People work hard all year and even in these times with a struggling economy they see their annual family holiday as a necessity rather than a luxury as it provides the much needed time to recharge their batteries.”
The new improved website, which launched in October 2008 and allows visitors to access Holiday and Flight bookings via the homepage along with a new year marketing campaign have all been attributed with helping raise awareness of the airport and the locations it reaches.

“In the current economic climate passengers who have made the decision to travel abroad want to know that they will get great value for money and that their holiday is safe. All bookings through our website provide that value for money and are ATOL protected.

“This is a good start to 2009 and we are looking forward to building on this success over the coming months,” added Jodi.

From the horses mouth... Sorry Robinhoodairport.com

 

[White Heather]

More spin!

This may be an increase in bookings via the airports own web site but it almost certainly is NOT an increase in bookings overall from the airport and it will be interesting to see their January 09 passenger figures against the January 08 figures. Almost certainly well down?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Heather,

Provisional CAA stats for January 2009 show DSA handled 57,598 passengers, down 16.7% on January 2008. Atms for the month were down 23.8% on January 2008.

The rolling 12-month total is 957,431, down 11.1% on a year ago, with atms down 16.4% over the same period.

This is certainly a piece of monumental spin on the part of the airport but I have said before that I believe airports/airlines and politicians/governments are in a league of their own when it comes to spin.

 

[eastcoaster]

Actual figure for JAN 09 was 51,598, but your percentage is correct.

 

[White Heather]

Thanks guys

Anyway, Peel Holdings are certainly getting plenty of practice in thinking up novel ways to make things look better than they are. As I posted elsewhere, virtually every single deck First Bus in South Yorkshire, is advertising Jet2 services, none of which currently operate from DSA, and there were no ads to be seen from TOM - or any of the other couple of airlines that fly from DSA. Based on that, it is reasonable to assume that DSA and Peel's position is going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[pug]

Fewer flying out of Robin Hood



« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPublished Date: 03 March 2009
PASSENGER numbers at South Yorkshire's Robin Hood Airport slumped by 8.8 per cent last year compared with 2007 – after its main airline slashed the amount of flights.
The Finningley airport had experienced year-on-year growth in holidaymakers since it opened in 2004.

In 2005, there were almost 601,000 passengers, rising to 932,000 in 2006 and almost 1.1 million in 2007 – but the 2008 total fell 8.8 per cent to ADVERTISEMENTaround 993,000.

A Robin Hood Airport spokesman said: "The main reason for the fall was the strategic decision taken by Thomson at the end of 2007 to consolidate their business.

"Services were reduced at a number of regional airports including Doncaster Sheffield, by removing their fourth aircraft based at the airport.

"This resulted in the loss of services to Amsterdam, Paris, Prague and Jersey – though the Jersey service was then taken on by Flybe.

"Some of this capacity was switched to popular Mediterranean holiday routes, but a large amount was unfortunately lost. This consolidation was not unique to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, for example Coventry Airport lost the whole of their Thomson operation. The full effect of this only took effect in the summer."

Statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority show passenger numbers at Robin Hood Airport continued to grow for the first four months, then fell every month from May.

December was the worst period, experiencing a 23 per cent drop on the same month in 2007.

The spokesman revealed summer flights were still popular in 2008, with the number of seats filled per flight higher than 2007.

He said 60 per cent of UK airports have experienced a fall in passengers, but said: "There is significant interest from a number of airlines. The company remains optimistic of new business in the future."

And this year has started more positively, with a 15.5 per cent rise in bookings made through the airport's website and call centre last month.

Source; Sheffield Star