Written evidence from WYG (STA0015)
1.0 Background
1.1 This written response has been prepared by WYG Planning and Design (“WYG”) on behalf of Leeds Bradford International Airport (“LBIA”) in response to the Transport Committee inquiry into surface transport at airports. The Committee is interested to assess the effectiveness of the Government’s approach to planning surface access to airport, as well as understanding whether the Government is making full use of its powers to influence the selection of infrastructure and accompanying modes of transport to and from airports.
Current position
1.2 LBIA is the largest airport in the Yorkshire and Humber region. In 2013, 3.3m passengers travelled through LBIA, representing 1.4% of all air passenger traffic across the UK. This placed LBIA as the 16th largest airport nationally in terms of passenger numbers, closely behind London City and Aberdeen.
1.3 LBIA serves 60 international scheduled, 7 domestic scheduled and 12 charter destinations. LBIA has introduced 5 new airlines and 25 new routes in the last 3 years. British Airways reintroduced flights to London in 2012 providing worldwide connectivity to over 150 destinations flying via Heathrow, supporting regional businesses and raising the profile of Yorkshire. In 2013 Monarch Airlines introduced a new base at LBIA generating 200 jobs and operating to 13 European destinations. Access to North America was enhanced in 2014 through the introduction of a connection to Dublin with Aer Lingus.
1.4 LBIA contributes £336m to the local economy and delivers over 2,000 direct jobs, and supports a further 300 jobs, with the great majority of employees living within an hour of the airport. The airport has performed well over recent years, outstripping the percentage growth of many other UK airports. LBIA experienced a 16% increase in passenger numbers between 2008 and 2013, representing the largest increase of all major national and regional airports across the UK, based on Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.
Growth of LBIA
1.5 LBIA is located within the largest catchment of any UK airport outside London, with 9m passengers originating from the region. Leeds is one of the largest city region economies in the UK but only has the 16th largest airport (in terms of passenger numbers). The catchment is continuing to expand north, east and south, with the decline of competitor regional airports. Passenger numbers could increase from 3.3m per year to 7.1m per year by 2030 (DfT projection) representing a 115% increase on current numbers. This level of growth is achievable, in operational terms, within the existing airport boundary and without the need for an extension to the runway. However, significant improvements to surface access to LBIA would help accelerate this growth.
1.6 LBIA is helping to support Leeds City Region’s key economic growth objectives, alongside creating and delivering new jobs in the community. Connectivity and improved transport links are an important element in the development of the airport and to achieving economic growth in the Leeds City Region. Improved transport links between LBIA and Leeds City Region is key to the delivery of wider economic objectives, providing businesses with improved access to international markets, which will support inward investment, promoting the growth of exports and growing inbound tourism.
1.7 In 2014, York Aviation on behalf of LBIA provided an economic impact assessment of LBIA which provides a current and future assessment of the airport’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and job creation. Impacts in 2030 have been estimated based on LBIA handling around 7.1 million passengers per annum.
1.8 This study estimated that LBIA has a total net economic footprint in the Leeds City Region of around £107 million of GVA at 2015 prices and supports around 2,350 jobs in 2014. The delivery of the Master Plan will see this impact grow to around £138 million per annum in GVA (at 2015 prices) and 2,850 jobs by 2020 and then increase to £225 million per annum in GVA and 4,300 jobs by 2030.
1.9 The study estimated that LBIA had a total net tourism impact in the Leeds City Region of around £29 million at 2015 prices and supported around 800 jobs. The delivery of the growth proposals will see this tourism impact grow to around £39 million per annum in GVA (at 2015 prices) and 1,050 jobs by 2020 and increase to £63 million per annum in GVA and 1,650 jobs by 2030.
1.10 In terms of other wider business benefits, the study estimated that currently LBIA supports around £200 million in GVA through increased productivity associated with business connectivity. These benefits will grow as passenger demand grows over time. We estimate that by 2020, these benefits could equate to around £267 million per annum at 2015 prices and to £436 million per annum by 2030.
1.11 Estimating the job impacts associated with these other wider business benefits is difficult as they primarily represent an improvement in productivity and it is difficult to know how this will translate through to employment in the Leeds City Region. However, in 2014, it has been estimated that the impact might be equivalent to around 2,050 jobs, rising to around 2,650 jobs in 2020 and to around 4,100 jobs in 2030.
1.12 In total, it is estimated that LBIA currently supports around £336 million in GVA in the Leeds City Region and around 5,200 jobs. By 2030, if the airport grows in line with the Master Plan forecasts, these impacts are projected to grow to around £724 million per annum at 2015 prices and around 10,100 jobs.
1.13 The Leeds City Region has significant economic strengths and assets and the prospects for growing the key sectors are strong. However, the region is also underperforming in terms of export markets and needs to strengthen its international connectivity to support growth. The growth of LBIA’s route network and improved surfaced access to the Airport can make a significant contribution to the future economic success of the City Region.
Key Surface Access Issues
1.14 There is a recognition by LBIA, local and central government, and other stakeholders that surface access to LBIA needs to be improved to support the delivery of future growth which is proposed at LBIA. There is currently high dependency on the private car for employee and passenger journeys. The local highway access is constrained and many of the roads that provide access to LBIA are congested during the peak periods.
1.15 There is currently no directly rail access to LBIA, however the Leeds – Harrogate rail line is less than 1km from LBIA. The introduction of rail access could accelerate growth at LBIA and delivering a rail connection to LBIA is a firm ambition which could be transformational. Failure to deliver surface access improvements will be a significant constraint on the airport and its growth in the future. This is further discussed throughout this Statement.
1.16 LBIA has prepared a new Surface Access Strategy and Airport Masterplan which will be published for consultation in Autumn this year.
2.0 The range and capacity of current strategic connections to airports and how predicted changes in demand for capacity (both passengers and freight) are being planned for
2.1 A summary of the current surface access infrastructure and services is provided below. Public transport accessibility to the Airport requires improvement; however LBIA are working towards improvements through significant investment. Funding does though remain a challenge.
Rail
2.2 There are currently no direct rail services to LBIA. The two nearest railway stations to LBIA are Guiseley and Horsforth. Guiseley railway station is 3.7km to the west of the Airport on the Wharfedale line. The station is serviced by services between Leeds and Ilkley and Bradford and Ilkley, both of which operate half hourly. There is a direct bus link via the 737 Bradford – Airport bus from the Airport to Guiseley.
2.3 Horsforth railway station is 3.0km to the south east of the Airport on the Harrogate line. A half hourly service is provided between Leeds and Harrogate with alternate trains travelling to York. No direct public transport services link Horsforth railway station to the Airport. The nearest mainline railway stations to the airport are Leeds and Bradford Interchange, both of which are connected to the airport by direct bus services.
2.4 The development of a direct rail link to LBIA is being investigated and feasibility work is ongoing. It has been estimated that the cost of providing a direct rail link to LBIA is £50 million including a station and spur. The DfT led Leeds Bradford International Airport Connectivity Study Option Assessment Report (November 2014) recommends that a heavy rail link between Guiseley, LBIA and Horsforth is taking forward for further more detailed appraisal. The study was one of six ‘notorious and longstanding road hot spots’ studies undertaken as identified in the Government’s strategic document ‘Investing in Britain’s Future’ (2013).
2.5 The new rail link would provide a significantly enhanced public transport link to both Leeds and Bradford (as well as other locations within the LBIA catchment area), and would connect settlements to LBIA. It would be used by local residents, employees and potentially park and ride users as well as airport passengers. The potential for a new railway station should be considered in the context of housing and employment growth in North Leeds.
2.6 It was announced in March 2015 that the Harrogate rail line had been prioritised by the Government for electrification. This would result in an increase in the frequency of train services and faster journey times. It is expected that the upgrade will be complete by 2022.
Bus
2.7 LBIA is served by direct bus services from Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Otley. These services are summarised below:
2.8 Scheduled bus journey times from Bradford city centre to LBIA are between 40 – 55 minutes depending on the time of day. Scheduled bus journey times from Leeds city centre to LBIA are between 25 – 40 minutes depending on the time of day. Scheduled bus journey times from Harrogate town centre are between 32 – 40 minutes depending on the time of day.
2.9 There is no direct bus service from LBIA to York, despite York being a business destination and major tourist attraction for both domestic and international visitors.
Car
2.10 Highway access to the Airport can be gained from the national motorway network (M62, M1 or A1 (M)) by either using the Leeds Outer Ring Road (A6120) and the local road network surrounding the Airport (A658, A6177 and A65).
2.11 The Airport is primarily accessed via Whitehouse Lane, from a roundabout on the A658 to the west of the Airport. The access road comprises a lit single carriageway. It is also possible to access the Airport via Scotland Lane to the east. Many of the routes that provide access to the Airport are congested during the peak periods.
Planned Improvements to Strategic Connections
2.12 In order to support the growth of LBIA a key objective is to significantly improve transport links. A new road link to LBIA is planned to be completed by 2021, supported by the Local Enterprise Partnership, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Council. The new link road will connect the Airport to Harrogate Road to its north and the A65 to the south west, north of the Horsforth Roundabout.
2.13 The DfT-led Leeds Bradford International Airport Connectivity Study Option Assessment Report (November 2014) recommends a 40 mph link road is pursued in conjunction with improved bus services. The new link road will connect the A65 with the A658 and provide traffic relief to local residents as well as better access to LBIA. The actual line of the route will be defined by detailed feasibility studies and public consultation, however it is likely to be of single carriageway standards, with junctions providing access to Airport facilities as required.
2.14 Funding has already been confirmed through the West Yorkshire Transport Fund. The Council consider that a link road is necessary due to the forecast future growth in the airport, population and housing which will increase the pressure on the already congested highway network, impacting on the future economic growth of the Leeds City Region, of which LBIA is a key component. The Council has also identified current high traffic flows, congestion and delay on the principal routes surrounding LBIA on the A65 and A658, which also results in ‘rat running’ and local road issues.
2.15 Leeds City Council considers that the link road aims to deliver reduced journey times and improved reliability by car and bus, between the Outer Ring Road and LBIA; remove traffic from the principal roads including the A65 and A658, and on sensitive local roads; and support the development of employment sites in the vicinity of LBIA and to assist the managed growth of LBIA.
2.16 LBIA is currently seeking the public’s views on the possible link road alignment options to feed into the outline business case. Three options are currently being considered; option A is a new road from the A65, running along the eastern edge of LBIA, tying into the A658 Harrogate Road to the north; option B is a new road from the A65, running to the east of Rawdon and tying in to the A658 Harrogate Road to the south of LBIA, and option C is an upgrade of junctions on the existing highway with localised road widening.
2.17 The feedback will be considered as Leeds City Council develop a preferred option for the scheme in 2016. There will be further, more detailed, consultation on the preferred scheme before a planning application is submitted. Subject to business case and planning approval, construction is expected to take place between 2019 and 2022.
2.18 If LBIA is to fulfil its full economic role, provision of a rail link from the Airport to Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and beyond is crucial. The DfT-led Leeds Bradford International Airport Connectivity Study Option Assessment Report (November 2014) recommends that a heavy rail link between Guiseley, LBIA and Horsforth is taken forward for further more detailed appraisal. The new rail link would provide a significantly enhanced public transport link to both Leeds and Bradford (as well as other locations within the LBIA catchment area), and would be used by local residents, employees and potentially park and ride users as well as airport passengers. In the short term, the objective is to develop and conclude the feasibility work (by mid-2016) for the new rail link.
3.0 The importance of surface transport in freeing up existing spare capacity in airports
3.1 Surface access improvements at LBIA will support the growth of the airport and will provide significant benefits to the local and regional economy. There are no barriers to expansion of LIBA from an operational perspective. As capacity at UK airports becomes scarcer, the role of regional airports within the national strategy will become more important and demand will continue to increase.
3.2 LBIA is located within the largest catchment of any other UK airport outside London, with 9 million passengers originating from the region. Leeds is one of the largest city region economies in the UK but only has the 16th largest airport (in terms of passenger numbers). The airport’s catchment is continuing to expand north, east and south, with the decline of competitor regional airports.
3.3 Passenger numbers have fallen significantly in recent years at competitor regional airports. Figures from the Airport Commission show that Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield saw a fall in passengers from 1.1 million in 2008 to around 725,000 in 2013. Durham Tees Valley saw a reduction in passengers from 654,000 in 2008 to 161,000 in 2013. Humberside Airport passenger numbers declined from 427,000 in 2008 to 236,000 in 2013.
3.4 There is currently a significant level of leakage of potential passengers from the LBIA’s catchment area to other airports. Yorkshire has the highest leakage rate of any region in the UK. The table below sets out the extent of this leakage, split between business and leisure passengers, based on CAA Passenger Survey data for 2014. The extent of leakage to Manchester is particularly noteworthy, with nearly 2.7 million passengers from the Leeds City Region using Manchester Airport. This also demonstrates the extent of the opportunity for LBIA if it is able to claw back this demand.
Leakage of Passengers from LBIA’s City Region Catchment to other Airports (000s) in 2014 (source: CAA Passenger Survey)
Airport | Business | Leisure | Total |
Manchester | 459,707
| 2,230,774
| 2,690,480
|
Heathrow | 91,374
| 229,136
| 320,510
|
Liverpool | 22,378
| 179,822
| 202,200
|
East Midlands | 2,442
| 185,425
| 187,867
|
Gatwick | 13,852
| 151,234
| 165,086
|
Other Airports | 39,785
| 297,081
| 336,865
|
Total | 629,537
| 3,273,471
| 3,903,008
|
3.5 There would be significant economic and environmental benefits to the Leeds City Region from clawing back passengers from other Airports. Most significantly would be a reduction in longer car journeys to Airports further away (in particular Manchester Airport), and the associated environmental benefits in terms of a reduction in pollution and congestion. Economic benefits would include jobs growth both directly at LBIA and indirect jobs, inward investment and increased visitors to the region.
3.6 LBIA is an essential piece of infrastructure for the Leeds City Region. Connectivity is a key theme running through the Leeds City Region’s Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) and better connectivity is seen as the key to unlocking the full potential of the Government’s HS2 investment, as well as enabling the City Region to compete for the country globally alongside London and the South East. The potential role of LBIA and the opportunity it offers is well recognised by stakeholders within this context.
3.7 The role that the airport plays in supporting the wider economy could be greater than it currently is. The airport does provide connectivity to key business destinations both via its hub connections and via direct services, for instance to Paris and Dusseldorf. However, the balance of the network is currently towards more outbound leisure focussed routes. It is recognised that the economic competitiveness of the City Region will increasingly be dependent on the ability of businesses to access international markets and to attract inward investment and there is strong evidence that good international connectivity by air supports economic growth. The need to improve surface access to the airport has been recognised by all parties as central to improving its ability to deliver economic benefit to the City Region.
3.8 Surface access improvements to LBIA would accord with the Government’s Northern Powerhouse proposal to redress the North-South economic imbalance and to attract investment into northern cities and towns.
3.9 The Northern Powerhouse One Agenda, One Economy, One North report on the Northern Transport Strategy states that high quality surface access links to the North’s airports will support growth and help the Northern Powerhouse maximise the benefit it draws from its airport capacity. The shared vision for the North’s airports identifies that more destinations should be served by the existing quality network including LBIA and high quality surface access to airports across the North should be developed to ensure that the North is a competitive location for multi-national businesses.
3.10 It is recognised that the economic competitiveness of the City Region will increasingly be dependent on the ability of businesses to access international markets and to attract inward investment and there is strong evidence that good international connectivity by air supports economic growth. Businesses in the City Region need access by air to a good range of direct short haul flights, as well as to intercontinental routes via hub airports such as Heathrow, Dublin and Amsterdam, all of which are served from LBIA on a daily basis for most of the year. Services provided by low cost carriers are also important in providing short haul connections and are increasingly being used by business travellers. There is, however, strong support from stakeholders for the airport to seek to increase its focus on business travel and to develop a more extensive scheduled short haul network particularly, including a wider range of domestic services, such as to Edinburgh and Newquay, alongside European connectivity to major capital and commercial centres. This is something that is recognised within the LBIA Draft Masterplan and is a key theme for its development moving forward. Making this change will be central to the airport’s ability to play a full role in the City Region economy and to the City Region maximising its potential.
3.11 The development of LBIA as a wider economic hub of activity, combined with much improved surface access, has the potential to be a key driver for the Yorkshire economy, increasing investment, jobs, productivity and accessibility. Creating a commercial growth hub at LBIA is important to the future development and expansion of the Leeds City Region economy. It will support the growth of the airport as a key piece of strategic infrastructure in the local economy; enhance the portfolio of land and premises available to prospective occupiers and investors; and enable the creation of substantial net additional jobs, investment and tax revenues to the Leeds City Region.
3.12 In the Leeds Site Allocations Plan Publication Draft (currently out for consultation) land adjacent to LBIA is proposed as an employment allocation and this is supported by LBIA. This 32 hectares of land is proposed as an employment hub which includes a business park and logistics and freight development. The Draft LBIA Masterplan envisages the development of a significant area of employment land focussed on office space, research and development facilities, light industrial and knowledge technology activities known as the Air Innovation Park. The Air Innovation Park is envisaged as a campus style development that will complement the employment land offer in the rest of the City Region, particularly Leeds city centre, providing much needed additional space and an offer that will be attractive to high value added activities, either home grown within the region or inward investors. This proposed development is strongly supported by stakeholders and provides additional justification for the development of improved surface access to LBIA.
3.13 The core quantitative economic impacts of the proposed commercial growth hub at LBIA have been modelled and it has been calculated that the proposed development has the potential to create 5,547 net additional jobs and £4.6 billion gross cumulative Gross Value Added based on a 25 year delivery period.
4.0 The Government’s role in planning surface access to airports in conjunction with airport owners, local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships
The funding of strategic connections to airports, particularly:
DfT’s role in ensuring that surface access infrastructure is planned and built in a joined-up way where different parts of the infrastructure are funded by different parties
The level of responsibility that should be borne by the taxpayer for funding access and interfaces with national networks
4.1 The international connectivity regional airports provide needs to be sustained by effective and modern surface access. The Aviation Policy Framework (March 2013) states that “the general position for existing airports is that developers should pay the costs of upgrading or enhancing road, rail or other transport networks or services where there is a need to cope with additional passengers travelling to and from expanded or growing airports. Where the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries, the Government will consider, along with other relevant stakeholders, the need for additional public funding on a case-by-case basis.”
4.2 This has led to local planning policy that makes airport development dependent on the delivery of major public transport infrastructure and surface access improvements, of which the airport would be one beneficiary. In practice, the costs of significant improvements in surface access go well beyond the capacity of most small regional airports to provide.
4.3 The influence of airports, economically, environmentally and socially, extends beyond administrative boundaries, which means there is a need for a consistent approach to airport development, and associated surface access, between local authorities and across planning, transport and economic policy.
4.4 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are therefore well placed to set out and lead on the development of strategic assets, such as airports, to ensure consistency of approach across administrative boundaries and across disciplines. Requiring LEPs to take responsibility to map out and chart a clear approach to airport development in close co-operation with airport authorities, which local policy making and decision taking would need to be consistent with, would provide the opportunity to co-ordinate the key components that are needed to support airport development.
4.5 LBIA has been working with the Leeds City Region LEP who supports the proposed new road and rail links. However a delivery plan is necessary which requires the partnership of the LEP, local authorities in the City Region and LBIA.
4.6 The recently established West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund includes the proposed Airport link road within its programme of schemes to be delivered in full by 2021.
4.7 The UK Aviation Framework emphasises the importance of collaboration, noting that local stakeholders have the experience and expertise to identify solutions to a wide range of issues tailored to their specific circumstances. LBIA recognises that the policies and actions of other partners will impact upon the success of this strategy, especially as for some elements, partners’ assistance will be required to deliver and fund the proposed measures. From planning to funding bids, from delivery to monitoring and review, there needs to be a new, improved partnership between the Airport, the LEP, local authorities, the businesses that drive the City Region, service providers and the local community.
4.8 There are very few national funding options to support small regional airports. One option would be to provide more flexibility to allow airports to secure funding through the Regional Growth Fund. It currently favours other types of infrastructure development despite the very significant direct and indirect economic benefits airport development can deliver.
4.9 There is a fundamental issue around how surface access schemes are viewed and delivered. The focus should not be around identifying the impact of an airport and requiring it to mitigate that impact, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework, but instead on identifying the key conditions that will support airport growth and its wider economic benefits of which surface access is a critical element. This approach is much more likely to promote the co- operation that is needed between a wide range of stakeholders, to develop appropriate surface access strategies and ultimately to finance and physically deliver improvements that are needed that will stimulate and support growth.
5.0 The Government’s effectiveness in ensuring that its own policies, such as modal shift, are being achieved in decisions about surface transport to airports
5.1 Government policies aim to promote the role regional airports play in UK aviation connectivity and aim to increase the proportion of journeys made to airports by public transport for both airport workers and passengers. Increasing the proportion of passengers using public transport will help minimise the environmental impact of LBIA’s growth.
5.2 LBIA monitors the passenger mode share through the annual forecourt survey for LBIA which shows the mode split in passenger surface access to the airport from 2011 – 2015. The data below is from September 2015.
Mode | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
Private Car | 60% | 56% | 61% | 64% | 65% |
Taxi | 13% | 15% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
Minibus | 8% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 8% |
Public service bus | 6% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 7% |
Car Park Service Bus | 14% | 13% | 12% | 9% | 8% |
5.3 The table above illustrates that the private car has remained the dominant mode for accessing LBIA with generally only small fluctuations in mode share over time, until the last three years, when there has been increase in off-site car parks as the number of spaces available has increased. Public service bus mode share increased from a lower base in 2005 and 2006 to above 6%. Taxis remain a popular choice for accessing LBIA, and the most recent surveys indicate their usage has increased since 2013.
5.4 The desired modal shift in surface access to LBIA, from the private car to public transport, will not be achieved if the required infrastructure is not in place. The required infrastructure (the provision of improved road links and the introduction of a rail link) will not be achieved without external funding assistance.
5.5 LBIA is itself promoting sustainable travel for its employees. The airport is a seasonal operation and as such the numbers of employees varies throughout the year. There are approximately 1,500 (winter) to 2,700 (summer) employees currently working at LBIA, with jobs being spread across a wide variety of companies. LBIA’s Travel Plan is a vital component of the airport’s overall transport strategy. It was first produced in 2009 and was updated in 2013. The Travel Plan sets out a series of measures and actions that will be implemented to influence travel behaviour, many of which are focused on employee travel. These measures include:
5.6 Whilst LBIA is committed to increasing public transport usage for both employees and passengers, fundamentally improved infrastructure is required to facilitate a step change which would enable public transport to become more convenient, reliable and available to a wider range of people and therefore be the most attractive mode of transport.
6.0 The extent to which customer preference and DfT policy concur in terms of preferred modes of surface transport to airports
6.1 As set out in section 5 of this Statement, the private car remains the dominant form of access to LBIA, as the infrastructure is currently not in place to make the non car modes of travel attractive. Whilst there are bus services available, these are to limited destinations and the congestion on the local roads can make journey times unreliable. The interchange facilities at the nearest rails stations provide a poor alternative to the private car and there are no direct rail links to LBIA.
6.2 Whilst rail demand is difficult to predict, we consider that if a rail link is introduced to LBIA then this will be utilised given the opportunity. Leeds has seen a large increase in railway passenger numbers in recent years. This is demonstrated by the passenger numbers using Leeds railway station as shown below.
Year | Annual Passenger numbers |
2007/08 | 18.1 Million |
2008/09 | 22.4 Million |
2009/10 | 21.9 Million |
2010/11 | 24.5 Million |
2011/12 | 25.0 Million |
2012/13 | 26.2 Million |
2013/14 | 27.7 Million |
6.3 Other airports which have a railway station have also experienced an increase in passenger numbers. For example, Manchester Airport railway station has seen a steady increase in passenger numbers as demonstrated by the table below.
Year | Annual Passenger Numbers |
2007/08 | 2.1 Million |
2008/09 | 2.7 Million |
2009/10 | 2.6 Million |
2010/11 | 2.7 Million |
2011/12 | 3.1 Million |
2012/13 | 3.1 Million |
2013/14 | 3.3 Million |
6.4 The development of a rail link could also provide wider benefits include the development of a park and ride facility (to access rail services into Leeds and Bradford), which would take further car trips off the highway network which would result in a direct reduction in carbon emissions, and the provision of sustainable travel for the proposed Air Innovation Park commercial development at LBIA. The Leeds Bradford International Airport Connectivity Study Option Assessment Report (November 2014) identifies that the rail link will provide a viable option to the private car and has the potential to reduce the number of vehicles travelling from Bradford and Leeds to LBIA by promoting modal shift, and accommodating future growth in a sustainable way.
6.5 The need to improve surface access to LBIA has been recognised by the Government through its commitment to fund feasibility work to identify short and long term surface access improvements.
6.6 To conclude, LBIA has ambitious plans for significant growth in terms of passenger numbers, and associated commercial development which will provide wider benefits for the economy and local communities. This growth needs to be supported by improved surface access including the new road/rail link to LBIA. Whilst LBIA are fully supportive of these proposals, assistance is required to fund the delivery of this infrastructure.