Originally Posted by
Sloyne
I think some of the points made by the "Greens" regarding pollution by airports, is quite valid. However, and with regards to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, they will need to get used to it. It is my opinion that Liverpool John Lennon will grow to be one of Europe's largest airports. It is ideally situated on a river estuary with room to construct three more runways and as many terminals.
Look at a map. All around the airport is being developed. The old North Airport is being built on. There isn't much room around there and an awful housing estate pins the airport back to the river preventing expansion. The existing runway is misplaced too. The only way it can be developed to a Heathrow type of airport is have the runways "in" the river, and build over the existing runaways/taxiways. Having the cargo terminal between the river and runways is also a barrier to future expansion.
A long term plan should have:
1. A new runway partially in the river angled to not fly over Hale village and chemical plants at Runcorn.
2. The cargo terminal roughly where the existing runway is.
3. Demolish Speke housing estate to expand onto.
4. Have a rail line run in with an integrated terminal station, as at Gatwick.
5. Have a rail line serve the cargo terminal to link with Seaforth.
6. Have a rail line link with Garston Docks for the cargo terminal.
As none of the above are to happen and in fact quite the reverse (Speke is being done up, the cargo terminal is to go near the river, no rail link planned, etc), John Lennon will not grow to a large major international airport at all.
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The location is better than Manchester for the north west, as Manchester airport is in the bottom right hand corner of the North West, which serves the Midlands a lot - Derbyshire is very near, but passengers are passengers. John Lennon airport has potential, however in typical Liverpool style there will be no long term plan that can be implemented in stages to achieve the end goal, just a cheap quick firefighting fix.
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