Closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) shows lack of commitment by the Government to level up - Yorkshire Post Letters

The Yorkshire Post editorial says it all about the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) as this building is a fairly new infrastructure asset to the region which will have cost many millions of pounds to build and fit out (The Yorkshire Post, March 11, 2023).

This is another example of the lack of commitment by this government to Levelling Up in the north of England for the benefit of all Yorkshire communities both in the cities, towns and villages.

Compared to the multi-linked transport systems in London and the southeast, provided by Transport for London Sadiq Khan, and Manchester's pro-active Mayor, Andy Burnham, who is a great lobbyists for northwest England, Yorkshire and Humberside region is behind with road and rail improvements, and to recently close DSA, was in my opinion a decision which was not properly thought out by various incumbent Transport secretaries in this government.

DSA airport has won industry awards for excellence in providing a first class service to passengers by dedicated local people who took great pride in their jobs, resulting in customer satisfaction.

To close and basically mothball this airport is short sighted, as more joined up thinking between the operator, Peel Holdings, local authorities of Doncaster, Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley and regional planners working with public relations and marketing companies along with private investors would I believe have retained this excellent regional airport facility.

It appears that the Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard and Mayor of Doncaster City Council, Ros Jones have been fighting 'tooth and nail', but why haven't the MP's for the other two metropolitan borough councils, Rotherham and Barnsley been fighting collectively in the House of Commons for this airport to remain open?

A new costly fast access road from the M18 provides easy access to DSA airport was built by Highways England to facilitate good connections from the two motorways and A1 road.

Governments are encouraging everyone to reduce their carbon emissions, while those of us living in Yorkshire will generate more carbon emissions when we go on that holiday, which we have saved up for all year, will have added extra expenses by having to travel further to another airport, as those living in South, North and East Yorkshire have to either queue at Leeds Bradford airport, or go further west to Manchester or Liverpool or go north to Newcastle, and South to Birmingham and East Midlands airports. Where is the sense in that?

I am sure that this government could have bought extra time until a new airport operator was sourced as it was apparent that Peel Holdings had made the decision to walk away from operating DSA.

I hope that Mark Chadwick who set up the group called Save Doncaster Sheffield campaign is successful in finding a new financial backer for re-opening DSA and several travel operators sign up to use this relatively new airport facility.