Petitioner: Alasdair MacEachen, John Doig and Peter Henderson on behalf of Benbecula Community Council
Status:
Lodged
Date Lodged:
06 May 2020
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to halt Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd's Air Traffic Management Strategy Project to conduct an independent assessment of the decisions and decision-making process of the ATMS project.
SPICe briefing (143KB pdf)
Summary
1 October 2020: The Committee took evidence from petitioners John Doig and Peter Henderson The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. It also agreed to write to Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, Loganair, Prospect, and relevant airports and local authorities. Link to Official Report of Meeting 1 October 2020
16 December 2020: The Committee agreed to write to the Civil Aviation Authority and the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee. The Committee also agreed to invite representatives of Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd and Transport Scotland to give evidence at a future meeting. Link to Official Report of Meeting 16 December 2020
17 February 2021: The Committee took evidence from Inglis Lyon, Managing Director; Gary Cobb, Chief Operating Officer; and Pat Nolan, ATM Professional Advisor, Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard at a future meeting. Link to Official Report of Meeting 17 February 2021
24 February 2021: The Committee took evidence from Michael Matheson, Cabinet
Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity; and Gary Cox, Head of
Aviation, Transport Scotland. The Committee agreed to continue this petition
and include it in its legacy paper for its successor Committee, along with a
suggestion to seek an update from the Scottish Government on the issues of
concern raised during the evidence session. The Committee also agreed to write
to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. Link to
Official Report of Meeting 24 February 2021
Written submissions
The connections our air services provide across Scotland from Benbecula to Sumburgh to Dundee are necessary for our communities’ health, economy and leisure. Islanders in particular depend on our life-line air services and HIAL's ATMS project could mean a significant increase in delays and cancellations in airports already often constrained by extreme weather.
Do you agree that there should be an independent assessment of the decisions and decision-making process of the ATMS project?