Airport Finds Favour With Local Community
Four out of five local residents support Birmingham International Airport (BIA), according to a public opinion survey carried out by MORI. Even where there are pockets of genuine concern, opinion is still positive and, on balance, there is much support for developing the Airport.
Earlier this year, the Government carried out consultation nationally on the future of aviation as part of the process to develop a White Paper on Air Transport. In order to gauge local opinion, BIA commissioned MORI to conduct a survey among twelve hundred residents living within a ten-mile radius of the Airport.
The vast majority of residents were satisfied with the neighbourhood in which they live, with the most significant concerns being crime and road congestion. Neither noise, pollution, nor the Airport emerged as the most prominent concerns among those questioned.
By far the most significant advantage associated with the Airport was found to be the convenience of having it nearby. Residents recognised the economic factors linked to the presence of the Airport mentioning job creation, new business attracted by the Airport, and the boost to the local economy. In terms of disadvantages, noise and pollution were the most common complaints. However, on balance, the advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages.
The survey found that most residents affected by night flights felt that the Airport does a good job in limiting the problem, including those in closest proximity to the flight paths.
Brian Summers, Managing Director of the Airport said, "The results of this opinion poll are extremely gratifying and are a validation of the continuing dialogue with our local community. The views contained in this survey will be very useful in shaping our future policies. We will not be complacent in any way and wish to build on our track record of listening and responding".
The survey also found that residents see BIA as a responsible company which understands the environmental impact it can have on the local community. The economic benefits are appreciated, and the future priorities for the Airport cited by residents are job creation, protecting the environment, and noise insulation schemes.
Technical details
BIA is the 2nd largest UK airport outside London, the 3rd largest for charter traffic and the UK's 5th largest overall. It handled 7.6 million passengers in 2000.
In June 2001, Birmingham International Airport was rated 9th among the top ten airports for Overall Passenger Satisfaction in a worldwide industry survey; and for the second year running has won awards for its standards of service.
BIA Ltd is a public/private partnership. The shareholders include the seven West Midlands district councils (49%), Aer Rianta/Bridgepoint Capital (48.25%) and the Employee Share Trust (2.75%).
Technical details
MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,277 adult residents. Interviews were carried out in 3 distinct areas around the Airport; 331 within the Noise Insulation Scheme boundaries, 314 within a 3 mile radius (excluding the NIS area) and 632 interview within a 10 mile radius (excluding the previous areas). Data has been weighted to reflect the relevant population figures in each of the areas. Fieldwork took place between 25th May and 28th June 2001.
