MPs’ victory will help DTV’s future

Mar 25 2009 by Paul Gannon, Evening Gazette

NORTH-EAST MPs claim to have won a small but significant victory in the fight to protect Durham Tees Valley airport.

Minister for the North-east Nick Brown led a delegation of local MPs in a meeting with aviation minister Jim Fitzpatrick yesterday, calling for more Government support for DTV among other regional airports. It followed mounting concern over the future of DTV, which has been hit by a sequence of route cancellations, the most critical of which was the axing of BMI Midlands’ three daily flights to Heathrow, which end on Saturday.

Despite Heathrow operator BAA’s aspiration to make the London terminal “hub” airport it is left with just two regional services - from Newcastle and Manchester - as escalating landing fees have forced out smaller domestic flights.

But following pressure from DTV campaigners, the Government has agreed to include an economic impact assessment of Heathrow’s policies on regional airports as part of a review this summer. Stockton North MP Frank Cook said: “One area which the Government is clearly prepared to look at is the issue of whether there is a case for introducing a Public Service Obligation which would effectively protect slots at Heathrow for the Teesside link.

“One thing is for sure - the Minister and his officials could be under no doubt that the support and protection of services into London and the worldwide air transport network is a matter of critical importance for Teesside, the wider North-east, and, indeed, the Government’s own efforts to drive for regeneration in the regions.”

Mr Cook said it did not make sense for the Government to encourage enlargement of Heathrow as the national hub by sanctioning Runway Three if it then permitted BAA to cause the removal of all the spokes to the regions. Hugh Lang, group airports director of Peel Airports, which owns Durham Tees Valley Airport, said he was very heartened by the meeting. “It was a very positive meeting and it was quite clear the Government recognises the importance of regional access to London Heathrow.” Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson said businesses, which are estimated to lose £1.4m a year as a result of the BMI flight being axed, should make sure their views are conveyed to the minister.