Edinburgh Airport has just published a new master plan with a deadline of 23 December for making comments.
The master plan sets out how the airport plans to grow over the next 25 years. It is separate to the airport’s recent flight paths consultation where local MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton and I are campaigning strongly for changes to route aircraft further away from Cramond and Barnton on departure.
Most of this new master plan document covers future traffic projections and how land around the airport will be used in the years to come. However, it also looks at road access, public transport as well as how the airport will manage noise and other impacts.
Importantly, the airport now says it plans to close the secondary (cross wind) runway at some point in the future. This is to make way for an expansion of the terminal and new aircraft parking stands.
Alex Cole-Hamilton and I are looking carefully at the 50 page document and will be submitting a response. However, several things already stand out to us;
* The need for a tougher attitude on excessive noise. The noise thresholds for fining aircraft need to be lowered and the fines increased.
* The need for a greater commitment to limit night time flights and introduce similar restrictions already in place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
* There is insufficient commitment to improving public transport to and from the north west of Edinburgh where we know there is demand for new bus links.
These are just some of the points we will be making in our response.
You can view the master plan document an details of how to respond here
http://www.edinburghairport.com/about-us/airport-expansion
Please remember that all comments have to be submitted by 23 December.
You can also get in touch with Alex and I with any specific comments by 15 December. This will ensure we can consider how we can incorporate your views into our own response.