12-06-03

Response rate to air consultation “less than 2.5%” with two weeks left – Barrett

John Barrett MP, Scottish Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Cross Border Transport, today issued new statistics which show the Scottish response rate to the Government's consultation on air transport standing at less than 2.5%, with just over two weeks left before the 30th June deadline.

Answers to parliamentary questions asked by Mr Barrett have shown that by 1st June, over 61,000 Future of Air Transport in Scotland consultation documents had been issued by the Department of Transport but only 1,500 responses had been received.  This marks a response rate of only 2.46%.

In a statement, John Barrett MP said:

"The air transport consultation document and the white paper to follow later in the year will have serious implications for all those who use air transport in Scotland.  It will also likely have serious consequences for people who live close to a Scottish airport like my own constituents in Kirkliston, Cramond and Ratho.

"When the Government chose to extend the deadline for the air transport consultation, I and many others hoped it would allow more people to make their views clear.  However, these figures, which show a response rate of less than 2.5%, run the risk of damaging the entire consultation, already undermined by court rulings and delays.

"If this consultation is to be both accurate and meaningful, the Government must work flat out to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the looming deadline and feed in their views."

ENDS