The process leading up to the proposed air transport white paper

Over the past 20 years, the number of passengers carried into and out of UK airports has trebled and air transport movements and freight have more than doubled. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions produced its latest set of air traffic forecasts in May 2000. These indicate that unconstrained demand for passenger air travel may be almost double current levels by 2015. Cargo traffic is also predicted to grow very rapidly. This forecast growth presents a major challenge - there is already a shortage of capacity at some of the UK's major airports which is leading to pressure to increase provision and to find ways of making more efficient use of existing infrastructure, whilst also seeking ways to reduce aviation's environmental impact.

The white paper, New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone, published in July 1998, announced the Government's intention to produce a new UK airports policy that would look 30 years ahead and referred to the need to bring forward new policies on civil aviation to address this challenge. This work will be brought together in a new Air Transport White Paper. The White Paper will also take account of the Government's decision in response to the Inspector's report on the Heathrow Terminal 5 Inquiry.

There are several steps on the way to producing the White Paper. Set out below are the three key stages:

Air Transport Consultation Document

A wide ranging national consultation document, The Future of Aviation, covering the main issues to be addressed by the White Paper was issued on 12 December 2000. The consultation period ended on 12 April 2001. We received over 550 responses in total and in November 2001 produced a public summary of the responses to this consultation.

Alongside the consultation document, we issued three supporting papers:

UK Air Freight Study - Part I

A Study into the Potential Impact of Changes in Technology on the Development of Air Transport in the UK

Valuing the External Costs of Aviation

Regional Air Services studies

In March 1999, the Government announced that a study of airport issues in the South East and East of England should be undertaken. The study examined a wide range of options at existing airports and new sites. It started from the position that nothing would be ruled in or out.

Regional Air Service studies covering Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, the North of England and the South West were also commissioned in parallel. The key objectives were to consider how each region might best be served by available airports in the region; to identify strategic enhancements needed to improve surface access to airports; and to appraise the economic, environmental and social costs/benefits of a range of options and policy choices.

The studies considered a range of scenarios, including 'business as usual', constraining airport growth everywhere, facilitating growth, and a hybrid approach of constraining growth in the South East.

Regional Consultation Documents

In July and August 2002 a series of seven regional consultation documents, based on the regional studies, were published. The consultation documents, reported the key findings of the economic, environmental, social and airspace appraisals, and sought views on a wide range of issues including possible options for future development and surface access improvements. The consultation period closed on the 30 June 2003 and responses are now being carefully considered.

Air Transport White Paper

The responses to the consultation will be used to inform the development of a new air transport White Paper which we propose to publish towards the end of the year. The White Paper will set out a policy framework for sustainable air transport over the next 30 years.