I beleive Manston airports fate was sealed as soon as Infratil sold it to Stagecoach boss Ann Gloag.
The assets are probably worth considerably more than the purchase price, it will be interesting how local council Labour leader Clive Hart handles himself with this one, Labour have done their best to damage the airport prospects, such as Clive Harts decision not to big up KLM's support for the Airport, he claimed couldn't speak publicly because the county council elections were in progress, it was a real joy to see arrogant Labour candidates getting a good kicking in the ballot boxes from UKIP a few days latter.
Hopefully local politicians will man up and do their best to stop, Manston being asset stripped, by selling off the land for development, if this is not viable as an airport lets hope it's returned to agricultural use.
Of course this could have some bearing on Clive Hart's shocking role, in wasting a hundred grand to overturn his own council decision not allow a hideous housing estate, the full story of East Kent Opportunity shenanigans can be found on Cllr Driver blog also a good read and a reminder of Labours role in ousting independent members of the standards board.
The stink from Labour's Thanet council is as bad as ever and will probably get worse.
Coming back to the airport at Manston this was a potential gem, call me a cynic but I think Ann Gloag had closure in mind when it was purchased back in October, if only as a contingency.
The writing was on the wall when the Manston Air show was cancelled in mid January.
ReplyDeleteWhat we don't know however is whether after a year KLM did not intend to continue which would have had a major impact on the decision.
Google stagecoach and asset stripping
DeleteHaving spoken with numerous KLM crews, I can say that they had their contract for another year, were going to see it out dutifully and then be on their way. The route has been lossmaking since day 1 and KLM were simply waiting for their time to come to close it. Looks like they may well have an early escape...
DeleteKLM will undoubtedly cancel flights now. But what if there's a crash at Manston while it's closing? More overflights yesterday presumably with minimal fire cover etc? Neither Infratil nor Gloag have followed the required safety procedures.
DeleteA few planes impounded and scrapped as with MK may help.
Topny, do you not like Clive Hart?
ReplyDeleteWhether I like him or not, he has certainly been in the centre of some disasters for Thanet,Still Labour is no friend of democracy one man one vote and one union bod a million votes,so what can you expect here's a few irritants, advising independent members of the standards committee to rewrite their report until he was happy, millions in uncollected fees from Transeuropa ferries and thanet council fighting its own planning decisions.
DeleteOutrageous
Good explanatory piece
DeleteIt relates to the debrief of Detective Putnam at Dover Police Station 1998 in the Lawrence Inquiry. Recently highlighted by reviewer Mark Ellison QC.
Clive may already have read up on Legion of Frontiersmen.
Theresa May has. Who provided Det sgt John Davidson with bodyguard moonlighting work which came under complaint 1995 leading to 3 of the five Regional Crime Squad detectives involved quitting police with mental health problems.
Was it the bodyguard company set up years before at Deal Royal Marines Barracks. Was its founder part of Special Branch inquiries 1996 into infiltration of LOF ? And was he working mid 90s for an associate of a Clifford Norris ?
And if Kent Police (conducting Lawrence independent inquiry) had complied with their own Police Authority call for inquiry 1997 all this would have come out at the time and been reported to MacPherson Inquiry.
Loving it. Which bodyguard group was it using Kent Gun ranges Theresa ? Don't ask your tory colleague Simon he only pretends to know stuff.
Sir Bernard Hogan Howe is now in possession of a 160 page case file previously held by terrorism Law reviewer Lord Carlile QC But don't hold yer breath waiting for these matters to fall properly within the terms of reference of Judge Led Inquiry ?
Jack Straw has been informed he should be called to answer for suppressing inquiries called for by Kent Police Authority and in 2008 as justice secretary repealing the awkward Unlawful Drilling Act 1819.
Welcome private armies in our land for the first time since Petition of Rights. Jack Straw what are you like.
does anyone
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's time to do a bit of soul-searching and to ask whether some people, in their desperation, have ignored Manston's obvious shortcomings to try to talk it up into something it could never become. It's not an academic exercise. If those who make decisions on our behalf have got it so badly wrong for the last fifteen years (they kept telling us about its fabulous prospects) why would we trust them to get it right on anything else?
ReplyDeleteHere here!
ReplyDeleteGloag is an asset stripper of the highest order, who will make millions building a huge London overspill estate. The transport network across Thanet is already a total disaster and TDC must not in any circumstance give approval for more housing on this historical site.
ReplyDeleteGood to see Tony at last coming clean and revealing his delight at UKIP's electoral success. I wonder if his name will be on a UKIP nomination sheet any time soon.
ReplyDeleteI was delighted to see the sanctimonious gathering of Labours great and the good along with Clive Hart exuding confidence at the county elections count until the result, a humiliating defeat for Labour.
DeleteAs for UKIP they are a one trip pony, I don't get the .personal attacks on Farage.
I'm afraid that the main parties have to address the adverse effects of the EU
Oh come on, Tony, you are obviously a closet devotee of UKIP and their policies.
ReplyDeleteI understand your views, here, about the TDC's handling of the airport issue, but what about another transport story that's remained in the news for several weeks - the continuing failure to restore the Hastings to London rail link. Coupled with poor performance on our local lines by Southeastern, how incompetent is the rail industry? On the Hastings line, how long does it take to effect a repair? Is it poor engineering and management, or incompetent and lazy trackworkers?
ReplyDeleteI'd guess poor management, unfortunately network rail is very much like any other branch of the public sector.
DeleteAs you might imagine, as with tdc or the health service or any other public sector job much of the top echelons are the result of the right connections or much brown nosing.
Actually Network Rail is a private company limited by guarantee. Much of the track work is carried out by private contractors. The rail operating companies - bar East Coast - are all in the private sector.
ReplyDeleteYou could hardly expect poor old Tim to know that, 16:54, for he actually knows nothing but makes it up as he goes along.
DeleteNetwork rail is as close to being public sector as possible, the only reason it isn't is due to labour not having the balls to fully nationalise Railtrack
DeleteSo 16:54 your right but splitting hares and talking bollocks
"you're right but you're talking bollocks". What a curious statement.
ReplyDeleteCurious and wonderful, 9:31, "So 16:54 your right but splitting hares and talking bollocks
DeleteWhat's your prob
Splitting hares - is this something the RSPCA should know about?
ReplyDelete09:31, think you would find that the curious remark is by a very curious chap over Ramsgate way. To him everything is public sector and everyone is a civil servant.
Back to Manston, critics and commentators here and on other blogs may well be right that the current Labour TDC administration has been equivocal in its views on the airport, and has handled the issue poorly. But I really think it is stretching credibility to suggest that is why the airport has failed.
ReplyDeleteThe airport has been in crisis for years, with various private sector attempts to get it going failing. Surely, the non-viability of the airport is the reason for its demise. And suggesting that that viability has depended solely, or chiefly, on night flying is false. There is no firm market for the airport. Full stop. Lydd is also struggling to achieve anything real, but the owners there simply seem more committed to continued funding of the attempt.
I would like to see the airport continue, but if the private sector - hailed by many locally as the saviour of society - cannot crack it, shouldn't we take the hint? And for those politicians of a certain age who argue for some public financial support, but who formerly argued against support for declining British businesses such as shipbuilding, car manufacturing, and coal, you're just hypocrites.
10:21, the cargo market does require that flexibility in certain circumstances to be able to land planes outside the watershed and the grey area over night flights has deterred some potential users. It also sends out a message that there is local opposition, both official and from the public, to airport expansion.
ReplyDeleteThat said, just what could Manston become that will actually benefit Thanet. People are not slow to point out that in building terms it is a brownfield site, but the vista is green. Do people seriously want it built all over and where are the jobs and infrastructure.
On the comparison with heavy industry, whilst coal and shipbuilding were in decline, our car industry is doing fine and aviation is very much of the future. Furthermore, what has the age of politicians got to do with it. You should remember, 10:21, that today's young person is tomorrow's pensioner. Age in itself does not equate to incapability.
Anon, my point about age related solely to those politicians who are old enough to have been involved in decisions, a few decades ago, to withdraw State support from struggling industries. I think it is hypocritical of them to be arguing now for State intervention over Manston.
ReplyDeleteThe motor industry may be doing fine, as you put it, but it is only a small shadow of its size and importance of a few years ago. Shipbuilding is certainly not in decline in Italy, Germany and a few other countries, where most British activity transferred. As for aviation being "of the future", many would argue with that. With ever-developing ICT, business travel, certainly, is seen as likely to decline further, and high speed rail travel across Europe is reducing the market for flights there.
All that said, I certainly do not support the knee-jerk suggestion of covering the airport site with housing and industrial units. As others have observed, there are ample sites within Thanet and in neighbouring districts - the large military base in Canterbury for example - for industrial or commercial development, and unless anyone can say that investors would be attracted to Manston but not to other sites, what would be the point? Others have covered the housing issue quite effectively.
If - and I say if - it becomes clear that the airport will not be able to continue, then a lot of hard thought needs to be given to what should happen to the site.
Just returning to what you have said about night flights, I guess the question is would the airport be viable even if the flexibility that you say is required by the air-freight industry were provided? And would night freight lead to more day-time activity (which seems unlikely)? And would the (limited?) extra jobs and economic value created be worth the disruption to residents?
In answer to your final question, 11:38, we will now probably never know. Just a shame we did not find out while the airport still was in the hands of an experienced operator rather than an asset stripper.
DeleteQuestion for you though, will folk who have opposed the airport come to regret that when we see what replaces it. It is all very well saying much thought needs to be given to that, but, as some folk are gleefully pointing out, the cards are all with Ann Gloag and there is nothing to suggest she will consider the wishes of the people of Thanet in cashing in on her investment.
You may be right, Anon, that some opponents of the airport will later complain at whatever takes its place. Human nature, I guess. And you are right that Ann Gloag is now in a very strong bargaining position. For those who laud big business, this is something of a wake-up call. Whatever, it would be good if the airport could be sustained as an alternative/additional economic facility for the area. In my own view, SOME occasional night flights would be ok IF there was significant day-time usage and the economic benefits could be seen to be worthwhile. So a "not at any price" position.
ReplyDeleteWhy does everyone question the viability of Manston as a functional London sattelite airport? I have considerable experience within the sector, primarily at Stansted, also blighted by local opposition from a small coterie of homeowners who purchased their houses at a discount because of their proximity to the airfield, but object to the usage of same. However, I digress...
ReplyDeleteStansted is marginally closer to London than Manston, it struggles to attract and keep employees because of its rural location, and yet it is always measured as a success. Manston, with its one hour to London feasibility, easy employment facility and unique positioning must be considered viable. Massive public support for a scheme with a realistic cost forecast of less than ten percent of the so called Boris Island alternative and a massively reduced environmental impact is one thing, but God help us Thanet and Kent councils! Let us pray.
Stansted is 46 mins from London with a station at the airport - Ramsgate is 1 hour 16 mins. The improvements in Network Rails current investment period (till 2019 ) might knock off 8 minutes so its quite a big margin.
ReplyDelete