Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Politicians to meet Peel as Parliament discusses closure

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard will lead a delegation that also includes Doncaster mayor Ros Jones while Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher has also raised the issue in Parliament.

Fellow Doncaster MPs Ed Miliband (Doncaster North) and Dame Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central) are also putting pressure on Peel and demanding answers, with other South Yorkshire MPs also calling on the firm to call off its closure threat.

Last week, Peel dropped an out of the blue bombshell when it said it was undertaking a six week strategic review to consider the future of the airport, which opened in 2005.

Mayor Coppard said: “I want to see DSA thrive, and there is no reason an airport with great facilities and a catchment of millions shouldn’t be successful.

“While Heathrow and Manchester struggle with capacity, regional airports like ours should be able to pick up the slack. Levelling up, if you will.

“I will be meeting with the main board of Peel Group on Wednesday to discuss their approach and ask them some hard questions about their approach.

“I’ve already made it clear that I expect to be able to input into the terms of reference for their review. I will be asking them to explain their approach and why they chose not to engage with us prior to making their announcement last week.

“We also need the government to work with us to respond to developments this week. They remain responsible for aviation and regional airports, and are supposed to have a plan.

“I realise there is a Tory leadership contest going on but Grant Shapps has to get a grip on this, and make it clear to Peel they can’t cut and run.”

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said: “We will be meeting with the corporate board of Peel on Wednesday.

“We are clear that we want to see Doncaster Sheffield Airport remain open. For this to happen we need to work with Peel to explore all the options available to us.

“If we are to embark on a public private partnership then we will need UK government to back us financially. We need the promise of funding not just empty words.”

Meanwhile, Mr Fletcher has already met with Peel bosses and raised the matter in Parliament.

He said: “It’s obviously commercially sensitive but I believe the meeting was constructive.

I have left the Peel Board in no doubt whatsoever where I stand. Doncaster needs this airport to remain open. I have made that abundantly clear to them.

“I have a duty to my constituents and to Doncaster to do what is right. It is obvious to me that closing this airport is the wrong thing to do and a new buyer must be found to take it over.

He has also presented a petition with more than 56,000 names to Parliament.

He added: “Please keep signing the online petition. Share it on your page. Share it in every Facebook group you are in. Ask everyone you meet to sign it. It is so important.”

You can sign the petition HERE