An airport in Exeter is no aid to the prosperity of this city

“It has been published in The Herald , who drafted the lease , who signed it by deligation .
Now we know , come on Tudor , sort out the mess you made with your inept friends .
You by error have given our property to SHH ,who for whatever reason could not do the job.
Now by that default , get our property back.
Then address the missing money for the land already sold , if you cannot call in the police , I am sure they will find it .
When you have that money , extend the runway , and work with a new Leaseholder with some integrity, with a new contract that works to benefit the City not a private firm .”

“Businesses are not choosing Exeter because of the poor transport links to Torbay and Plymouth. Its economic agglomeration, success attracts success. Torbay's leaders have bleated on about the lack of a decent road link and now one is being built, it will enable streams of economic migrants to head to Exeter on a daily basis to earn a living.
Surely Plymouth Airport closed due to empty planes and market forces.
Plymouth and Torbay are finished - go to Exeter.”

“@newplymouth

"Mr Mitchell IMHO represents the view of a lot of aviation experts viz Plymouth with its short runway just does not work in the current economic climate that is going to be with us for a good few years yet!"

His comments do not represent the views of aviation experts or consultants, because it is widely known within these circles that he knows absolutely nothing about aviation. There is a common view though - Neill's comments are as predictable as they are tiresome.

He has focused his attention on talking down Plymouth Airport for years now, whilst promoting his own fantastically unfeasible 'vision' for Plymouth to be served by a VTOL (vertical take off and landing) heliport, with fixed wing flights using Exeter 'Devon International' Airport, as demonstrated in this article from 2009:

http://tinyurl.com/94dy34j

I admit there is a fine line between visionary and fantasist, but I think he is clearly the latter.”

“2 hours processing time to get through security at Exeter airport - that lack of competition means they can now treat people like cattle too.”

“The only reason Exeter exists is geography and all our problems stem from that one thing as well. The leading edge of Dartmoor and the sea cut us off all round. Unless we overcome these transport handicaps nothing more will happen. The rot set in when they refused us the M5. Fighting for the re-opening of the airport at least shows that some people have not given in. The Council as usual (any colour) are less than useless.”

“@Bill Snow. Carlisle airport "doing well"? It has NO Scheduled Flights! And Southend airport is closer to central London than Gatwick is! Neither adds anything to Plymouth airport's prospects. Get real.”

“Ever since the Roman army reached Exeter around AD48 during the conquest of south western Britain in the shape of the 5,000 men of the Second Augustan Legion, under the command of Titus Flavius Vespasi**** (Vespasian) Exeter has been a very important part of the Devon economy.
From this strategic base the Legion would have been able to mount offensive campaigns into the local countryside, crushing any opposition to Roman Rule in this part of the Empire.

Sadly 2000 years later little seems to have changed with Exeter's strategic position at the Gateway to Devon and Cornwall's with its far superior road/rail/air links now enabling it to largely dominate the economy of the sub region in the 21st century as effectively as the Romans did militarily 2000 years ago.
You can argue all day about the pro and cons of whether Plymouths now defunct airport is viable or not but the inescapable fact is that Plymouth needs better transport links,stop,or it will continue to play second fiddle to Exeter in the 21st century just as it did in the 1st century.

As BILL SNOW put it and BBC Spotlight showed " It is pure fantasy as you well know, to expect people to bring in factories and businesses to Plymouth via Exeter Airport, as they would simply set it up in Exeter, and as they are already doing. You only have to look around the M5 to see all the work that is going on."
That unfortunately whether people like it not is the reality of Plymouths economic predicament at this time in the 21st century .Exeter will continue to hoover up all the good stuff leaving Plymouth with the scraps and Government and Business organisations seem powerless to change that status quo.”

“Well said.

I also note the Herald reverted to type by blocking comments on the original story...”

“there is a lot of anti Cornwall and South & West Devon commentators on these issues,why? Protecting your own vested interests perhaps”

“And while all this nonsense is going on - Exeter are laughing their socks off. They are creating a new industrial estate near M5/J30 which includes a Sainsbury's distribution center to out-rival the massive Morrisons one at Bridgewater. Meanwhile massive names like John Lewis and IKEA are investing in the city and Exeter University was last year one of the top growing businesses in the whole of England. Tudor and his cronies should be bending over backwards to get the airport going and improve the rail & road links. But instead they place responsibility for the airport with central government (like it is going to be anywhere near the top of their priorities!!) and allow First Great Western to serve the city with ancient rolling stock that has been decommissioned from all their other routes. Plymouth city center is dying and with the airport shut we are losing out on investment everyday!”