Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the rate of growth of air traffic at Gatwick Airport in the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The last Department for Transport forecasts for Gatwick and the other main UK airports were published in January 2013. These showed that air passengers at Gatwick would grow by 11% in the period 2015 to 2025. This is a 1% annual rate of growth.
The independent Airports Commission published their own forecasts for air traffic, including at Gatwick, as part of their Final Report on 1 July 2015. The Government will not be commenting on any of the Airports Commission’s recommendations until it has had time to examine all of the evidence.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that transport connections to Gatwick Airport remain fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
This Government recognises the importance of good transport connections to the success of airports and we are committed to further investment to improve such connections.
For Gatwick Airport, our Road Investment Strategy includes committed investment to deliver a major smart motorway project on the M23 between junctions 8 and 10, as well as improvements to the M25, and major enhancements to the A27 at Chichester, Arundel and Worthing.
Investment of on our rail network will see improvements to connectivity to Gatwick through the completion of the Thameslink Programme, improvements to Gatwick Airport Station and enhancement to the Brighton Mainline.
In addition, from December 2015, new rolling stock will be introduced on the Gatwick Express. The new stock will be designed specifically with the needs of airport users in mind.