Opportunity for the Government to show it is serious about Doncaster Sheffield Airport by investing in road infrastructure
The reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) is going to be a daunting task that requires more than just planes being cleared to take off from the former RAF Finningley site.
Most importantly, it is going to require political will not just locally but nationally. The Government has already signalled its support for DSA but it will have to back its words with funding and action.
A key piece of the puzzle is the infrastructure around the airport. There is clearly a need for improved links to and from the airport - whether that is through a new railway station at DSA or improvements to road infrastructure.
The three South Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce – Doncaster, Sheffield, and Barnsley & Rotherham – have issued a united appeal to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP urging urgent investment in M18 Junction 3, the gateway to the planned reopening of DSA and the Gateway East Investment Zone.
Junction 3 has already been identified as one of the region’s most significant infrastructure bottlenecks. And from what business leaders in South Yorkshire say, it is an inhibitor to economic growth as well as a potential constraint on DSA once it opens.
A £50m capacity-enhancement scheme has been developed in partnership with National Highways.
The Government has the opportunity to show that it is fully committed to DSA and development of the wider economy around it by pushing ahead with the investment. As Dan Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, says: “We regularly hear from local businesses how gridlock at Junction 3 stifles their ability to move goods and personnel efficiently. Improving the M18 at this point isn’t just about easing traffic - it’s about sending a strong signal that South Yorkshire is open for growth, investment, and connectivity.”