Government’s blocking of funding for Doncaster Sheffield Airport flies in the face of promises made

Instead it never really took off and operations were wound down over the high costs of running the airport, according to owner Peel Group.

While the Government has made a lot of noise about wanting to save DSA, that’s all it has proven to be, noise.

In fact, a letter sent by the Mayor of South Yorkshire shows that the Government has acted effectively as an obstacle in local leader’s attempts to get the airport reopened with the Transport Minister previously blocking funding worth £30m from being used to reopen DSA.

This revelation is a damning indictment of the Government and its failure to prioritise regions like Yorkshire. At this point people can be forgiven for thinking that the Government just doesn’t care about the region.

It is also a question of trust. Let’s not forget that former Tory PM Liz Truss promised to do all she could to keep the airport open.

And whatever happened to levelling up? DSA is at risk of ending up a white elephant. A monument to failed promises. A failure to level up.

The letter also reveals that despite progress on devolution, Westminster maintains a cast iron grip over funding to the region with Transport Secretary Mark Harper turning down requests for flexibility on City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements funding from Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire. However, local leaders to their credit have continued to fight to reopen DSA. This is because they understand the importance of a thriving airport for South Yorkshire. Importance that seems lost on the Government.