Glasgow Airport unveils five-year plan

February 27, 2009

Glasgow Airport has unveiled a five-year plan to boost public transport access and reduce private transport use.

The measures were outlined in the new airport surface access strategy (ASAS) which sets out a series of targets and actions to be delivered by 2013, the date that the Glasgow Airport rail-link becomes operational.

The plan was devised in conjunction with Stratchclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), transport providers, local authorities and others, and aims to achieve an increase in the number of people travelling to and from the airport by public transport from 11% today to 15% by 2012.

To meet their targets, the surface access strategy includes a commitment to work with SPT and local bus companies to deliver new bus routes into the airport and explore opportunities for bus and taxi lanes within the local road network. There are also plans to encourage taxi sharing and reducing the number of passengers being dropped off and collected at the airport.

Ross Nimmo, airport planning manager, said: "With more than 5,000 people working here at the airport, including a large proportion of shift workers, it is vital that we work with the bus companies, Renfrewshire Council, SPT and others to develop attractive and innovative alternatives to the car for staff to get to and from their workplace. The surface access strategy also sets out a number of steps we believe will help to prioritise public transport, ease congestion and reduce emissions around the airport's road network.

"The bus network into Glasgow Airport has improved significantly in recent years, but we recognise that many local communities remain unserved. We will therefore work with our transport partners to explore areas of unmet demand so that we can provide more choice for passengers and staff."

Glasgow Airport's managing director Amanda McMillan said: "We have made real progress since the publication of the last strategy (2001), increasing the percentage of passengers using public transport, reducing the number of single car journeys, supporting new bus routes and prioritising terminal forecourt access for public transport buses.

"These are real achievements, but we need to go further. Glasgow Airport does not compare well with other similarly sized airports in terms of public transport usage. This new strategy seeks to address this deficit by actively prioritising public transport and reducing the number of private car journeys made to the airport."

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