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I grew up in Leigh near to the end of the runway and still live there. I also remember the Carvairs and Bristol freighters, the houses used to shake when they took off and you had to shout to the person next to you. Today in comparison all you hear is a loud whoosh as the aircraft take off and as they are so much faster these days they are gone in a moment.
The noisest planes are the light aircraft that take an age to fly over my house. But if you all are not aware if/when the airport goes ahead the light aircraft will have to leave the airport. Guess what I have been reliably informed that at South Woodham Ferrers millions ££ are being spent on an airfield for light aircraft.
Lets get the airport up and running I say as it will actually be quieter for local residents, when all the noisey little planes move away.
Make you absolutly right on the money! I am in total agreement with your views
Even though i understand and to some point agree with you, what you have failed to mention is the number of flights.
53,300 flights per year
1,440 night flights per year = 120 per month (currently 50)
(this total excludes military, police & diversions)
With the expansion of the runway larger aircraft will be used so say 80% are for passengers.
42,640 flights per year x 200 passengers = 8,528,000
3,554 per month x 200 passengers = 710,800
710,800 / 30 = 23,593 extra people coming to Southend per day!!! This excludes all ancillary traffic.
As Southend sits in the bottom corner of Essex, there is not the same road infrastructure to cope with the expected increase. The council say they will sort the traffic problems out, but realistically where can they move the traffic. Rayleigh Weir was sorted out 15 years ago and its already a nightmare. Even out of rush hour cars back off of the slip way causing congestion for the A127. Now add in 15,000 extra cars!!!
If any one thinks for one minute that people will travel to the airport by train, then they have their heads in the clouds. Only business travellers will do this. I’ve lived in London for years and it was cheaper and far more convenient for my partner and I to take a car to either Gatwick or Heathrow. Now you add in families travelling then you have no chance of getting them on public transport.
No one has even mentioned parking. So what, it all goes ahead and people park their cars in Westcliff and get a taxi over to the airport to save money. If it was me, I would. The only way to stop this is for any flight ticket to automatically have an extra cost added in for train ticket or parking. The exception from this would be residents of Southend.
With all due respect Mr Hendy,
What absolute twaddle. Your maths is nearly as bad as SAEN’s.
For a start even a Boeing 737-800 carries 189 max passengers, and its unlikely they would use Southend.
The largest aircraft to use Southend for passenger travel is the Airbus A319 which takes around 180 pasengers max. But thats assuming every carrier using Southend will all be using that size, which again is highly unlikely.
There will be a mixture of ATR’s (50 pax), Dash 8′s (27 pax).
the Airport is aiming for 2 million passengers by 2020. By you figures that will happen in 2.5 months of the year.
2 million passengers per year. Not the 8.5m you quote.
The 53300 is a movement cap. That doe’s not mean there actually will be 53300 movements per year. And even if there were, this is around a 1/4 only of Stansteds movements and not all full of passengers.
Again with freight, its a maximum of 10%. That doe’s not mean they will achieve that.
You talk of the 120 night flights. Without the extension the airport is permitted over 900 at night. At present there is a premium for using the airport at night. It wouldn’t be difficult to remove this to attract more business, if passenger flights could not be realised without an extension.
It has been calculated that even at peak times (which would usually be outside normal rush hour), there would be only 50% of the cars on the road that visit tesco extra at Peak times.
Of course people will use the train. If I lived on that line, i would use it rather than drive and park. Heathrow and Gatwick is a poor comparison as you would need to change in London. Another benefit of avoiding the larger airports.
Its also upto the train company, airport and airline to market train travel to the airport in the right way.
Parking is indeed in the future plans. perhaps you should visit the airport and view the plans properly.
By extending the runway the airport can again benefit (more than now) the local economy with strict controls not currentlly in place.
You have said you fly from Gatwick or Heathrow and drive. So by using Southend for some of your flights, you will reduce your car journey time (maybe take the train) and reduce the congestion you are so concerend about.
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