Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Transport Minister Grant Shapps says public ownership is a potential option
The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps MP, has said the South Yorkshire mayor could follow in the footsteps of his Teeside counterpart by taking Doncaster Sheffield Airport into public ownership.
It comes after South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said he believed the private sector should take lead on investment in the at-risk airport.
Mr Shapps is said to be “very concerned” with the fate of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) and he will explore whether public ownership was an option the South Yorkshire Combined Authority could pursue.
He added: “I think the example the mayor could follow is what Ben Houchen has done in Tees Valley, where he has taken that airport and is turning it around.”
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Mr Houchen is the Conservative Mayor of Tees Valley and took Teeside Airport, which was previously owned by the Peel Group – the same company who have said DSA may no longer be “commercially viable” – into public ownership in 2019.
He said a number of regional airports have direct involvement with local authorities and South Yorkshire could do the same.
However, Mr Coppard has voiced concerns over the financial losses of Teeside Airport, saying the private sector are “the best people to run airports”.
He said: “I want Peel to raise their game, and if they are not prepared to do it I want someone else to come in to do that for them.”
Mr Coppard is due to meet with Peel Group representatives today, but has also said he hasn’t ruled anything out in terms of ensuring the airport’s survival.