HC Deb 17 November 1967 vol 754 cc216-7W
Mr. Onslow

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his revised proposals for Stansted airport envisage the realignment of the existing runway.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

Under these proposals the existing runway would eventually be replaced by another on a different alignment.

Mr. Onslow

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has formed of the cost of realigning the runways at Stansted airport.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

It is too early to give a precise estimate, but I am advised by the British Airports Authority that the net cost is likely to be between £7 million and £10 million.

Mr. Onslow

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has formed of the operational limitations likely to be caused by crosswinds if the runways at Stansted airport are realigned.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

Realignment to the extent under consideration is likely to reduce the crosswind usability of the airport very slightly but not below that regarded as acceptable for a major international airport.

Mr. Onslow

asked the President of the Board of Trade what delays to the increased utilisation of Stansted airport are likely to result from the realignment of the runways.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

None, as it would be possible to construct two new runways on the alignment under consideration without interrupting the use of the existing runway.

Mr Onslow

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the projections of air traffic growth in the London area which were submitted to the 1965 inquiry on Stansted airport, together with the actual annual increases since registered, and the future growth rates now projected.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

The forecasts of air traffic growth in the London area given to the 1965 Public Inquiry on Stansted were those in the published report of the Interdepartmental Committee on the Third London Airport (H.M.S.O. 1964—reference No. CAP 199)—see especially Table 1 and Appendix A. Actual figures of traffic at the London airports for the years 1961–66 and the Government's latest projections of traffic growth up to 1980 have been published in Appendix 1 of the White Paper on the Third London Airport (Cmnd. 3259).

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