Major UK airport’s large plan to create hundreds of jobs and increase passengers to 50million
A major UK airport is set to turbocharge its passenger numbers to a whopping 50 million a year over the next two decades, according to reports.
Stansted airport has whipped up a Sustained Development Plan (SDP) that lays out a roadmap to optimise its single runway and how to boost the benefits and manage the effects of its operations on the local area.
The scheme is expected to generate thousands of jobs which includes sprucing up the M11, reports Essex Live. This ambitious plan comes hot on the heels of the airport’s recent reveal of a five-year, £1.1 billion investment programme aimed at ramping up the passenger experience and beefing connections to more global destinations.
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At the epicentre of this revamp is a £600 million makeover of the current terminal, which promises a light and airy design, more places to park yourself while waiting, and a smorgasbord of new shops, pubs, and eateries to give travellers more choice and comfort.
For now, the airport isn’t looking to add any extra runways or bump up its daily flight tally, reports the Express. The blueprint sets a goal for half of all journeys to the airport to be made by public transport. On top of that, the airport is gunning to create 16,300 “high-quality” jobs for the locals and which give infrastructure a leg up.
This will mean further tweaks to the M11 junction eight and pumping more cash into bus services. Stansted Airport is also ramping up efforts to back the Stansted Airport College, boosting the potential for students to soar high in aviation careers.
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The move is designed to tackle the industry’s skill shortages in engineering and hospitality sectors, with predictions showing the airport might serve 48-51 million passengers per year by the 2040s.
A spokesperson for Stansted Airport said: “The airport is committing to welcome this higher number of passengers without an increase in the existing number of permitted flights and to do so within the existing airport boundary.
“Increased passenger numbers will come from airlines planning to use larger models of modern, efficient aircraft than previously forecast. This will enable more people to fly on each plane, and the airport to welcome more passengers while keeping permitted levels of aircraft arrivals and departures the same.”
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Gareth Powell, the managing director at Stansted Airport, said: “Stansted has connected our area with the world, establishing the airport as a driver of economic growth and source of thousands of high-quality jobs and training opportunities while doing so.
“We want to continue to build on this success, growing the nearly 30 million passengers we welcomed this last year. With airlines offering more seats to more destinations, we will improve the choice passengers have, the value travel we offer, and make the most of our efficient terminal that is well connected to the local area.”
“We’re proud of the role we play locally, have always taken our responsibilities seriously and will continue to do so as we make best use of our existing single runway, providing even more employment opportunities and working closely with local businesses to help them grow as the airport does.”
