Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1846497
While councils and parishes have a say on aerodromes because it affects their local communities, the fact is that aerodromes do not exist on its own and is part of a wider network of aerodromes across the country.

Should the DfT have a say and hence provide approvals for aerodrome closures, runway usage/length changes, and new aerodrome openings, as part of a regional or nationwide transport strategy?
Stampe liked this
#1846658
Whatever the merits of the argument that DfT should have such an increased 'role', presumably it would take new Primary Legislation to overrule current primacy within England [sic] of major LA (typically County or Metropolitan, AIUI) and over them of SoS (implicitly, personally; not vested in Inspectors from that Department) for "Housing, Communities and Local Government" (ie, not DfT) in development decisions (ie, to allow or refuse). ISTR hearing that latest Queen's Speech suggests that new Primary is planned which will give more authority (over LAs and, presumably, to ignore representations from other Departments) will be given to that SoS, not less. Equally, political correspondents have suggested that some Government backbenchers are unhappy about this.

Wikipedia entry on current SoS:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jenrick
MikeB liked this
#1847062
The DfT often repeat the mantra of making the UK the best place for GA but do they really have any idea of what is required to make this so?

Aerodromes (opening them, sustaining them and making sure they don't close) is just one area vital to GA over which the DfT don't have any control or, it seems, any influence.

There is a great deal of publicity given to how much the DfT is supporting GA, but does it mean anything? We have had red tape challenges. I have just stumbled across the fact that we have a GA champion. All of these initiatives fail in that they don't address so many of the factors affecting GA and don't address the fact that, without airfields and without access to the airspace above us, we won't have GA in the UK.
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848178
A new public body called Great British Railways to own and maintain railway infrastructure has been created, which makes interesting reading.

It would be interesting to see what Grant Shapps' department has in store for aerodrome and airspace infrastructure as well.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848181
James Chan wrote:A new public body called Great British Railways to own and maintain railway infrastructure has been created, which makes interesting reading.

It would be interesting to see what Grant Shapps' department has in store for aerodrome and airspace infrastructure as well.



Hmmm It's Network Rail taking charge of timetabling and fares to try to control the HMG risk which they were forced to assume when the pandemic caused passenger numbers to plummet (sorry!) and the train company franchise system collapsed. The infrastructure was already in public ownership as Network Rail is government owned.
By Aerials
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848216
James Chan wrote:Should the DfT have a say and hence provide approvals for aerodrome closures, runway usage/length changes, and new aerodrome openings, as part of a regional or nationwide transport strategy?
and
James Chan wrote:It would be interesting to see what Grant Shapps' department has in store for aerodrome and airspace infrastructure as well.

In answer to the first quote, yes. I think they should and it should be something that they should be formally responsible for.
From https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... port/about
*setting national aviation policy, working with airlines, airports, the Civil Aviation Authority and NATS (the UK’s air traffic service)
Nothing there even recognises GA as a large group, never mind those of us who are 'hobby pilots'.

As to the second, I feel that as there are many riches to be made from all sorts of things we'd rather wasn't and those riches are vastly more than we in GA generate, we're being strung along with hints of 'jam tomorrow'.
I'll believe what we've been expecting from Ministerial speeches when I see ANY of them in reality.
#1848254
johnm wrote:Triumph of form over substance [/stuckrecord]


Not a stuck record but one that is re-issued with a new cover.

(https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... on-roadmap)

This document talks about airfield protection.
The network of airfields is a national asset. Airfields provide crucial connectivity, both for business and emergency services, but also for leisure and sporting flying


This document also says
The CAA’s GA Unit (GAU) was set up in 2014 in response to the Government’s ‘Red Tape Challenge’ to develop a more proportionate approach to General Aviation.


So protecting airfields is the stated aim of HMG. General Aviation take the CAA and others to the DfT for an explanation.