The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has published a report on airport surface access following an inquiry to which the CILT submitted evidence. 

Among the recommendations are a call for airport surface access plans to be more integrated with wider transport plans. 

The Committee says that the forthcoming National Policy Statement on airports should set out long term airport capacity requirements and the surface access implications, not just for the South East but for the whole country. This is one of the key points that CILT has been making in its various submissions and responses to the Airports Commission and subsequent Government announcements.

The Committee calls for local authorities, Highways England and Network Rail to co-operate more on airport surface access; not just in their planning processes, but also in short term planning of engineering works. 

There is also a call for the Government to show how the HS2 network will link to regional airports, and to develop a strategic plan for modal shift, with the National Infrastructure Commission providing some coherence. The DfT should also scrutinise airport master plans and surface access strategies and provide guidance on the boundary between funding contributions from airports and transport authorities. 

The Minister's evidence had not been particularly supportive of integrated planning, preferring the mainly private sector airports to establish their requirements on a case by case basis. 

CILT's evidence was noted in the report, on surface access to smaller airports and on the mode share of staff journeys. However, it is disappointing that the report does not mention evidence on the role of surface access in freight operations at airports, where the Institute’s evidence had noted the crucial role of the road network.

Commenting on the report, Paul Le Blond, Chairman, CILT Aviation Policy Group, said: "Many of the Committee's recommendations, particularly on integrated transport planning and the need for a National Policy Statement covering the whole of the UK, are completely in line with CILT's views, which have been formulated with the support of the Strategic Rail Policy Group and the Public Policies Committee. It is disappointing that the report fails to note the role of surface access in freight operations at airports, and we must await the Government's response to see if the recommendations are accepted."