Gatwick group to discuss safeguarding land for second runway
27.07.11
The need to safeguard land around Gatwick Airport for a second runway will be discussed at a meeting of the airport advisory group tomorrow. Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) will focus on the issue at its annual general meeting, looking at the airport's future aviation strategy.
The meeting is due to take place in the Ascot Suite of the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick's South Terminal at 14:00 and will be open to the public. The discussion will form part of GATCOM’s initial response to the Government’s Aviation Scoping Paper.
GATCOM chairman Dr John Godfrey called the Government paper ‘disappointing.’ He said: ‘It is disappointing that other than making the best use of existing capacity and stating that meeting unconstrained demand is not an option, there is no significant discussion of longer term capacity issues in the scoping paper.’
‘The aviation framework should provide clear guidance on whether land needs to be safeguarded for longer term needs. This is critical as safeguarding affects development decisions and property blight.’
GATCOM will also hear the conclusions reached by the Government’s South East Airports Task Force and will look at problems being caused by rogue valet parking operators who, while offering secure parking at Gatwick, have been found to be leaving their customers’ cars on roads near the airport, annoying local residents, the improved performance at Gatwick in meeting customer service performance targets, and the airport management's encouragement of passengers to use social media such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate with them in ‘real time.’
To book gatwick airport hotel or gatwick airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great gatwick parking and gatwick hotels price comparison pages.
