Press Release

• Surface Access the main topic of local interest in Gatwick’s draft Master Plan consultation  
• Community supportive of Gatwick to grow to 40 million passengers per year as a single runway, two terminal airport
• Report outlining views of the local community published following the most extensive public consultation ever held by Gatwick

Gatwick Airport has today published a report detailing the views and opinions of local residents, businesses, MPs and Councils, following a three-month public consultation on its draft master plan, which closed in January this year.

A review of the responses indicate that, uppermost on people’s minds are concerns about the impacts that achieving 40 million passengers a year by 2020 is likely to have on the road and rail network. Respondents want to see more passengers using the rail network or public transport to get to and from the airport.  

Whilst many applauded the airport for ensuring 40% of all air passengers travel by public transport, others believed rail capacity, especially in the peak periods was a significant issue for the future.

Gatwick has already outlined that for the economy to grow, airports, the rail industry and Government must work together to improve connections within and between regions.  

The number of people travelling between Gatwick and London by rail could increase by 30% in eight years and the number of commuters travelling on the same services could grow by 29%. With limited capacity on rail networks in the South East, a clear balance must be struck between Government, the train operators and Network Rail around catering for the needs of both airport passengers and commuters.   

Rail links are critical to attracting new airlines - research shows that airlines rate surface access to an airport as one of the top three critical reasons for locating there. Gatwick currently operates at around 78% capacity so is able to accommodate more flights and support the economic growth of the UK. Gatwick has already opened new routes to key trading partners, including direct routes to China, Hong Kong, South Korea & Vietnam. For Gatwick to continue attracting the new routes the economy needs, its rail links must improve in quality and extent.

Aircraft noise was also cited as an important issue as Gatwick grows and continues to attract more airlines. For some residents living in the villages and towns to the east and west of the airport, aircraft noise was cited as a real issue during the summer months. For others noise was accepted as part of living and working close to a major international airport and the significant economic benefits of Gatwick outweighed concerns around it.  There was recognition that aircraft have become quieter in recent years and support for the idea that airlines should be encouraged to continually upgrade their fleets with quieter aircraft.

Kyran Hanks, Strategy and Regulation Director for Gatwick Airport said: “We are pleased by the level of response we have received from the local community to Gatwick’s draft vision of the future, where within it, we detail our plans to grow to handle 40 million passengers by 2020, through continuing to improve service levels, investing in the airport and our staff and in the communities we serve. In this way, we continue towards our ambition to compete to grow and become London’s airport of choice.

“Their views have been extremely valuable in providing us with a clear indication of the key issues that we will now consider as part of our final Master Plan.”

This summer, Gatwick Airport will publish its final Master Plan document which will show, where possible, how it has taken into account the views and opinions expressed by the local community and its stakeholders. In addition, Gatwick will be publishing its long term business plan on 19 April 2012. This will set out how Gatwick is proposing to continue to transform the airport in-line with its Master Plan. 

The detailed document ‘Gatwick Airport: Draft Master Plan Summary Report on Public & Community Consultation’ is available to read and can be downloaded from the Gatwick Airport website gatwickairport.com/masterplan

Notes to editors

Topical areas of feedback

• Gatwick’s ambition and strategy
• Air Transport Forecasts
• Developments on the airport
• Infrastructure
• Surface Access
• Economic Factors
• Carbon Emissions
• Noise
• Beyond 2020

Overview of the consultation process

• Three month public consultation period from 13 October 2011 - 13 January 2012
• Ten days of public exhibitions at six separate locations
• Twelve facilitated workshops held at six separate locations 
• Talks given at two lunch events  
• Dedicated consultation website
• Letters to 398 representatives of 30 local County, District, Borough and Parish Councils
• Letters to 43 Members of Parliament
• Leaflet mail out to 3,568 residents and 689 businesses
• Over 40 separate articles or reports in press & media
• Freephone information line established
• Freepost address created

In numbers:

• 1,637 members of the community attended a public exhibition, of which 184 people registered official responses
• 132 stakeholders attended a workshop
• 5,000 people checked in to review the dedicated consultation website, of which 79 people registered an official response
• 15 people left a response on the freephone
• 29 people sent in a response using the freepost address