Annex 1
Comparative Growth in London Area Services
1991-2003
SUPPORTING ROAD
INFRASTRUCTURE
— White Paper (Surface Access—Clause
7.15): "Surface access links to Northern Ireland's three
major airports are unlikely to require any significant enhancements
before 2015. The existing roads and bus links are considered adequate
to cater for the levels of growth envisaged."
— From DRD(NI)'s Regional Strategic
Transport Network Transport Plan this position is confirmed with
a proposed £13.8 million 6.5km section of single carriageway
linking the M2 to the International Airport held in reserve for
the Forward Planning Schedule.
— Meanwhile the National Roads Authority
in the Republic of Ireland have invested over 700 million Euros
(circa £500 million) on a 72km stretch of the Ml Dublin —Belfast
Road, with further investment ongoing.
WHAT CAN
BE ACHIEVED
WITH VISION
— Bizarrely the resident population
within the 100 km radius around Dublin Airport is similar to the
resident population in the same catchment around Belfast International
Airport (circa 1.6 million in both instances)—Northern Ireland
Yearbook 2005.
— However DUB has been enabled to radically
increase its overall air traffic volume through supportive Government
policy and a concerted and highly effective drive in external
markets to attract increasing numbers of international visitors.
BASIS OF
DUBLIN TRAFFIC
LEAKAGE FIGURE
(2002)
1. From Dublin Airport Departing Passenger
Survey 344,000 annual passengers from NI (equates to the notional
2-3% of DUB business previously cited).
2. An additional 125,000 holidaymakers (=
250,000 charter passengers)—equates to booking trends reported
by tour operators operating from DUB and BFS.
3. From Failte Ireland—123,000 visitors
to Ireland arriving via Dublin Airport and subsequently spending
at least one bed night in Northern Ireland (= 246,000 air passengers).
GRAND TOTAL for Displaced Traffic = 344,000
+ 250,000 + 246,000.
840,000 passengers per annum
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