HC Deb 04 July 1960 vol 626 cc16-7
22. Mr. Rankin

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he is aware that there was a three-hour road traffic jam at Prestwick Airport on 17th June while a British Overseas Airways Corporation 707 aircraft practised take-offs and landings on the main runway; and what he proposes doing to prevent traffic being held up at the airport's level crossing in the future.

Mr. Rippon

These training flights with the Boeing 707 were necessary to familiarise air crews with the handling of these new aircraft at Prestwick. The road was closed on seven occasions in the morning and seven occasions in the afternoon. The average duration of each closure was about 3½ minutes.

Mr. Rankin

That is not an answer to the Question on the Order Paper. The Minister cannot get away with this conduct of making a statement instead of replying to the Question. These training flights will go on with other aircraft. What is he going to do about the tremendous congestion that will take place when these flights, along with the arrivals and departures of very large aircraft, take place? Has he nothing to do with that? Does he not remember that I said long ago that a tunnel, costing the miserable sum of £800,000, would solve his problem? Is he not going to think about building that tunnel?

Mr. Rippon

I quite appreciate the hon. Gentleman's concern with this difficulty. I do not think that his proposal for a tunnel is worth reviving. As he fully appreciates, consultations with the local authorities had to take place and are still taking place about the question of a by-pass road now being constructed, which we hope will relieve about 50 per cent. of the congestion. We are ready to raise with the local authorities at any time the question of the loop road, about which he is also well aware.

Mr. Rankin

Does the Minister not realise that a by-pass road will not solve the problem of the closure of the runway? Is it not his purpose to try to bring more and more people to Prestwick Airport to see the airport and to see what goes on, as is being done at London Airport? If he stops them every time he asks people to come, what success does he expect will attend that operation if he has not got the tunnel?

Mr. Rippon

Our difficulty is not people who want to come to the airport but people who want to get away from it or go past it, and that situation we think could be helped by the by-pass road. I agree also that at some stage we must again consider the question of a loop road.