Mayor Takes Step Towards Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport

[AndrewC]

On 26/03/2024 at 04:07, Irene Swaine said:

The last thing I would want to do if I was going on holiday is worry about driving (if I drove). Me and my friends all have a few sambucas en route to the airport to get the holiday started. Of course a considerable number of people do drive though. 

I'm sure it is the last thing you would want to do - it's also the last thing I would want to do too, but this is just your opinion/experience. The majority still drive. I'm struggling to find the exact source, but these figures are from another forum I use where a similar topic has been discussed:

 

To put into context with other airports (using 2022 figures):
Gatwick 28.8M PAX 44.1% use public transport
Heathrow 45.6M PAX 33.9% use public transport
Luton 12M PAX 35.3% use public transport
Stansted 22M PAX 45.4% use public transport
Birmingham 8.3M PAX 18.0% use public transport
East Midlands 3M PAX 8.8% use public transport
Manchester 21.2M PAX 15.5% use public transport

 

The London airports come close, but still under half of passengers come by public transport.

Quote

Heathrow Airport has such demand for public transport that Heathrow Express, a railway company dedicated solely to taking people to Heathrow Airport was created. 

It's a huge, busy airport, and it accommodates huge numbers of arrivals on public transport. That still doesn't mean more people don't arrive by car. They also built a huge brand-new dedicated junction off the M25 to serve Terminal 5, and paved over half of west London for car parks.

[Man in Crete]

49 minutes ago, geared said:

I guess it's a case of prove us all wrong then.

 

Personally I agree with others, this is a vanity project, the people in charge are not competent enough to manage the project, whatever feasibility studies they have  done will turn out to be drastically flawed and very poorly executed, and the entire thing will fall apart, costing us the tax payer alot of money.

 

It will end as a millstone around the neck of South Yorkshire, and the morons that put it there will swan off to another job, accepting zero blame.

Completely agree! Despite unfounded claims above from other posters there is no commercial sense in proceeding currently. A few private jets and ‘a bit of passenger’ (ha ha)will not be sustainable and in any event those who use go in and out of Gamston . The fact is that due to historic mistakes the 3000 or so folk employed in connection with DSA were put out of work and coppards crew seem intent on ignoring the opportunities which commercial development of the site would bring . The fact Peel took our representatives apart is unfortunate but it’s time to put that down to experience and move on . I predict nothing will change for months / years . 

[geared]

What is worth remembering is that it's a site with very good connections.  Quickly onto the M18, M180 and A1, a short drive from the M1 and M62.

Plenty of scope for redevelopment or part re-use of the site.

[horribleblob]

49 minutes ago, geared said:

Possibly, but may need new facilities building.

 

They won't need the runway, but at the same time they're big and can't get in the way of the runway so need to be somewhere separate.

If they're floating while moored, also don't want them anywhere near the planes as the wash from the engines could blow them about.

 

As they're applying for planning on their own site, they might not want to pay additional fees to operate out of DSA when their own base is so close.

I was thinking along similar lines but also that such an operation close by could lead to more air freight going to DSA. Wishful thinking perhaps.

[SheffieldForum]

46 minutes ago, Man in Crete said:

Completely agree! Despite unfounded claims above from other posters there is no commercial sense in proceeding currently. A few private jets and ‘a bit of passenger’ (ha ha)will not be sustainable and in any event those who use go in and out of Gamston . The fact is that due to historic mistakes the 3000 or so folk employed in connection with DSA were put out of work and coppards crew seem intent on ignoring the opportunities which commercial development of the site would bring . The fact Peel took our representatives apart is unfortunate but it’s time to put that down to experience and move on . I predict nothing will change for months / years . 

I mean, it is apparently in the outline business case. Previous statments said:

 

"The Outline Business Case is built on creating a sustainable airport hub with the airport anchoring a sector specific focus on aviation-related advanced manufacturing, advanced engineering and the growing jet-zero and decarbonisation industries. Applied research is one of South Yorkshire’s core strengths as evidenced through McClaren, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Hybrid Air Vehicles choosing to locate in the region, and the opportunity exists to locate the next wave of advanced manufacturing at Gateway East connected to global markets through a reopened DSA."

 

That said, can anyone find the outline business case anywhere? I've had a quick look on the SYMCA and Doncaster Council websites and can't find the publication. It would be interesting to give it a read.

 

 

[Man in Crete]

14 minutes ago, horribleblob said:

I was thinking along similar lines but also that such an operation close by could lead to more air freight going to DSA. Wishful thinking perhaps.

Think you can forget hybrid airships etc! This firm in fact built one in 2016 ….. it crashed on its debut before crashing again one year later and being scrapped. They have failed to build any since and given it’s top speed is 80 mph and a limited capacity then despite the eco thinking which go ahead customers are going to invest …? 

[ads36]

1 hour ago, Man in Crete said:

Think you can forget hybrid airships etc! This firm in fact built one in 2016 ….. it crashed on its debut before crashing again one year later and being scrapped. They have failed to build any since and given it’s top speed is 80 mph and a limited capacity then despite the eco thinking which go ahead customers are going to invest …? 

expected to complete a rigorous certification process later this year.

 

it seems they already have a dozen (?) orders/reservations.

 

 

[geared]

3 hours ago, SheffieldForum said:

That said, can anyone find the outline business case anywhere? I've had a quick look on the SYMCA and Doncaster Council websites and can't find the publication. It would be interesting to give it a read.

Will be an internal council document, they don't want any Tom, Dick or Harry checking their sums.

[horribleblob]

Try opening:

 

doncaster.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=20811

 

and clicking on the pdf link

 

http://i7 061223 - Final - SYAC Cabinet Report Dec23 - DRAFT V2

 

 

[SheffieldForum]

From that linked document - it seems they believe they have a strong economic argument:

 

4. The latest economic assessment of options suggests gross benefits in the range £1.0 billion to £2.3 billion attributed to re-opening DSA (2023 prices and net present values), with a primary forecast of £2.0 billion. If the forecast 30- year benefits and passenger numbers and freight expansion are realised, we estimate that almost 5,000 gross direct jobs will be supported under a Central scenario, as well as c. 6,000 gross indirect and induced jobs and c. 4,400 catalytic jobs in surrounding aviation-related development.

 

 

17. The findings from the OBC describing the economic rationale for public intervention are strong. The economic assessment of options aligned with HM Treasury guidance suggest gross benefits in the range £1.0 billion to £2.3 billion attributed to the preferred option (2023 prices and net present values), with a primary forecast of £2.0 billion. These relate to the place-based impacts of increased employment and resulting welfare gain, plus land value uplift, journey time savings for airport users and regeneration uplift for nearby residential communities. Applying a net additionality rate of 75% to these gross benefits generates net additional benefits in the range £0.7 billion to £1.7 billion (2023 prices and values), with a primary forecast of £1.5 billion. If the forecast 30-year benefits and passenger numbers and freight expansion are realised, we estimate that almost 5,000 gross direct jobs will be supported by the do something / preferred option under a Central scenario, as well as c. 6,000 gross indirect and induced jobs and c. 4,400 catalytic jobs in surrounding aviation-related development.

 

 

18, The economic appraisal demonstrates that the preferred option (re-opening the airport) represents excellent value for money. Combining the Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 11:1 in the Central scenario, and the wide range of significant wider and qualitative economic impacts, the project has the potential to transform Doncaster’s economy, support the levelling up agenda and underpin enhancements to societal well-being.