Passenger traffic to double at Scotland airport - Prestwick Airport News

Airport news for Prestwick on 30/10/2008.

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In its 25-year ‘master plan’ just released, the airport is predicting that by 2018 it will be handling 5.7 million passengers per year, and 12 million by 2033.

Freight traffic growth is predicted to grow by four per cent over the same period.

Prestwick executives have indicated that the facility’s infrastructure will need to be upgraded in order to meet the demands of increased numbers of travellers – including passenger and parking facilities.

Prestwick Airport’s chief executive, Mark Rodwell, noted: "We expect to gain a greater share of the Scottish market.”

He went on to say: “Our growth will provide more travel opportunities, deliver more visitors, and create more business opportunities and jobs. At the moment more than 20% of our passengers travel to and from the airport by rail but we believe that with improvements to the service this can rise to more than 30% and that is our aim.”

Rodwell also remarked: "For that to happen we will need longer trains and platforms, more trains every hour, a full refurbishment of our railway station and an increase in operating hours to cover early morning and late night services not currently catered for by public transport."

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