Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Government should have done 'much more' to help sector bounce back
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The chief executives of Sheffield, Barnsley & Rotherham and Doncaster Chambers of Commerce said ‘much more’ should have been done to ensure the sector could bounce back from the pandemic.
They added: “Airports are not just assets for their shareholders but for the economies and communities they serve. If aviation activity at Doncaster Sheffield Airport ends or scales back, this would be another major blow to the region's infrastructure after several others, including the axing of our planned HS2 connection and rail services from South Yorkshire to Manchester Airport.
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Hide Ad"The evidence is well-established that international connectivity underpins inward investment.”
They said the site had made a ‘significant contribution’ to South Yorkshire by creating jobs, improving global connectivity and attracting investment. Owner Peel, which has pumped in £250m, was key to that.
The statement added: “With the challenges facing the aviation sector it is unsurprising they are now starting this review. Any sensible business would. The government has not done enough to support the industry throughout the global pandemic. Much more should have been done to ensure the sector had sufficient resilience to bounce back.”
They will consult with the business community so they could highlight the importance of international connectivity, they added.
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Hide Ad“We will stand alongside local partners if it becomes clear that government support is needed to put the airport on a firmer footing.
“Air travel is rightly under the spotlight owing to the climate crisis but you cannot grow a world-class economy if you do not have word-class international connectivity.”
