Doncaster Mayor urges new Prime Minister to step in to save airport

With just five days until the planned closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Mayor Ros Jones has urged the PM to do more than his predecessor and intervene to keep it open.

She released a statement on Facebook: “We need UK government to talk to the owners of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the Peel Group to bring pressure on them to accept the offer of public financial support from Doncaster Council & South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, to seriously negotiate with prospective parties who want to buy the airport, halt its closure and save jobs.

“Rishi Sunak, a Yorkshire MP who now holds the highest position in this country has the ideal opportunity to underline the commitment of his new UK government to Levelling Up by taking decisive action to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport and the jobs of thousands of people associated with the airport.

“I am imploring him to do more than his predecessor did and show up for the people of this region and the north.

“I have written to Mr Sunak asking him to intervene before November when the airport is planned to close, I am hopeful that negotiations with potential buyers will find a suitable solution.

“Following the lack of national government support and the continuing unreasonable actions of Peel with a ridiculous timeframe and current unwillingness to suspend the closure notice, yesterday I instructed Doncaster Council to commence legal proceedings to prevent removal of critical assets and infrastructure essential for operation and future potential operators.

“I have made it clear to Peel that if there is no collaborative arrangement for the airport’s future, we will initiate the process for a Compulsory Purchase Order.

“We are in the eleventh hour, and the next 24 – 48 hours are critical if we are to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport, I implore our new Prime Minister to intervene.”

The Mayor has previously said that a Compulsory Purchase Order, which would force Peel Group to sell the land to the Council, would take up to two years and would be a last option.

However, the firm has refused to extend the negotiation period before closing the airport despite an offer from Doncaster Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to reimburse losses for up to two years.

The government has also refused recommendations from Doncaster’s Labour MPs to trigger the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which would keep the airport open due to the emergency services that operate there.

The Transport Secretary said it could not be used as there will be “no disruption” to these services brought on by the airport’s closure.

Earlier today, Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher wrote a letter to the South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard as well as Mayor Ros Jones, calling on them to act to save the airport.

The MP has been vocal in his criticisms of the two authorities, while they and the opposition Labour MPs have supported working cross-party on the issue.