Andy McDonald MP/Baroness Sugg
Andy McDonald MP/Baroness Sugg

Andy McDonald MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report entitled, Way to go: improving public transport access to London’s airports, published by London Travel Watch on 18 January 2019, what estimate he has made of the number of people using public transport to reach London airports. (217069)

Baroness Sugg: "Department for Transport published statistics show that the number of passengers using public transport is fairly stable at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton over the last ten years. Government policy is that the provision and funding of surface access infrastructure and services to airports is primarily the responsibility of the airport operator unless there are significant non-airport user benefits, in which case the Government would consider making a funding contribution. As part of their Surface Access Strategies we expect airports to set targets for increasing the proportion of journeys made to the airport by public transport for both airport workers and passengers, and put in place a strategy to achieve those targets. In our Aviation Strategy consultation, we are proposing a number of measures that aim to better support airports in achieving their mode share ambitions, including uprating Airport Transport Forums so that local and central Government, airports, and transport providers have the opportunity to contribute appropriately to the delivery and monitoring of airports environmental targets."