Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Manston Airport

To some its a nuisance, an anachronism, not a word I ever thought I'd use when staring out the window during a grey less than inspirational  English lesson at Charles Dickens secondary modern  back in day,  or ten minutes ago sat in the back of a van after a day building railways,   anyhoo I never thought you could buy any airport for a quid and six months later be considering the asset value.

Things change and some believe that Manston, belongs to another age, the airport has changed over time maybe it still could, so rather than tragedy of 140 people and their families facing a grim future, perhaps there could be a future.

Here's one version in the form of a

Press Statement from George Cunningham and Russ Timpson, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for North and South Thanet respectively. 


We cannot afford to lose Manston – Liberal Democrat candidates call for the creation of an aircraft recycle site to create jobs and growth for Thanet. 

Speaking at the "Save Manston" meeting last weekend, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates George Cunningham (North Thanet) and Russ Timpson (South Thanet) have called for a new strategic plan for Manston airport, including a new focus for its use as an aircraft recycle site, as well as widening the search for investors. 

“The future of Manston airport is not necessarily in passenger traffic. The fact is that it is the only place in the UK having an environmental agency licence to recycle aircrafts. No single facility exists in the world currently to meet the huge worldwide demand expected in the next few years. Any new investor would find Manston a unique international proposition in this respect,” said Russ Timpson, also an expert in this field.  

The Liberal Democrat candidates also want to build links between Manston and East Kent College in order to also use the airport as a civil aviation training facility. 

“One of the major challenges for recycling aircraft is the need of qualified engineers and staff. Now, the presence of East Kent College represents for us a strategic advantage. We can link with East Kent College to train engineers and create apprentices for students. Thus, in 3-5 years' time, these people will be able to serve as staff for operational aircrafts. Moving toward this direction would lead to the creation of qualified jobs' positions and of a national centre of excellence in the field such as an Aerospace college" Timpson continued. 

Cunningham says "We Liberal Democrats believe in deeds, not just words. There is a search for investors going on but there seems no business plan to attract them. I am already using my international contacts to widen the scope of the search for investors, particularly in  the Far East". 

Cunningham and Timpson reject suggestions that Manston's future could stay primarily in passenger traffic and tourism. Dover and other constituencies are said to have already tried for years to develop in that direction without success. 

12 comments:

  1. Wow, I think you may get a slap on the wrist from your new best friend and leader, Nigel Farage, for reproducing material from such "woolly liberals". There may be trouble ahead…

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    1. This is a personal blog my thoughts, not allied to any political party, however I'm a, member of the lib dems.

      With the exception of euro policy I've no issues with lib dems that's why I'm a member, UKIP is a one trip pony, who will never have any long term future, still they are prepared to take on the insane euro politics machine.

      All three main parties have vested interest in the euro project, still a real cause for concern must be the dirty tricks campaign against UKIP.


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  2. So can you Tony find out from your LibDem friends what costings they have done that make their proposals viable. Anyone can dream up solutions but without proper costings its a total waste of time. Clearly the government will not save Manston and I dont think East Kent College are in the risk taking business so who do the Libdems think will put up the millions needed for their solution?

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    1. Perhaps it's time for labour to get there act together, what's labour wonder boy Will Scobie, got to say, I may have missed it but so far as far as I can tell not a peep, and I thought he was labours great hope for Westminster.

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    2. Maybe he is just refraining from putting forward another pie in the sky scheme, but on the other hand maybe he has another one of those secret letters in his pocket and will tell all later. How many more letters can Gale stuff into his pockets.
      You Libdem friend might also like to know that Dover port employs 5,000 and that a pays a lot of cash to many Dover residents, about the same number of people that are unemployed in Thanet and if your friends are are are up todate they may be interested to know that from now on the Harbour Board have to put a percentage of their profits every year into Dover regeneration.- believed to be about £380,000 a year.

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    3. Strange: we put £60M into TDC and £2BN into KCC. Yet they seem unable to invest it wisely. Manston is a disaster and Dreamland.

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  3. Why not answer the request for more information on the Liberal Democrat proposals - which I assume you support - rather than try to deflect attention on to Labour. If their position is lacklustre, surely there is an opportunity for the Lib Dems to show that they are on top of this. Be positive.

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  4. You should distance yourself from these 2 LibDems Tony they're idiots.

    Manston the only aircraft recycling site in the UK? Google Cotswold Airport to see all its recycling of aircraft. And this from so-called aviation industry experts.

    While the strategic advantage of EK College is no more than any school near an airport. presumably Cotswold Airport has a simialr strategic advantage?

    And Manston has hardly done very well at recycling aircraft: c.6 planes are just dumped there. The large 747 that was recycled near the radar tower was actually taken away from Manston. Presumably to Cotswold or one of the other many recycling sites for aircraft.

    And how long/cost for Manston to become viable at aircraft recycling given its bust now?

    These 2 LibDems are idiots.

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    1. You better do the research for this pair Tony or otherwise they will make you look stupid as well. Here's another UK airport offering aircraft recycling - Durham Tees Valley Airport, and the world is full of them.. There are 12 UK companies listed in the trade association.

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  5. Oh dear…lucky you're riding two horses Tony. Better snuggle up even more closely behind Nige. Nick's falling from the sky like a 737 due for recycling..

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  6. 2 Boeing 747s remain and a DC8.

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