Open skies policy should be embraced

A LEADING campaigner for the development of regional transport last night warned against a head-in-the-sand attitude to the ending of the Shannon stopover with the advent of Open Skies on transatlantic flights.

Kieran McSweeney called on the Government to embrace opportunities presented by Open Skies by creating a Transport Authority for the West and Mid-West.

Managing director of Avocent in Shannon and one of the most prominent campaigners for regional development in the Mid West, he said: “This transport authority would be granted executive powers, similar to those of the Dublin Transport Authority, to ensure that infrastructure critical to the viability of Shannon Airport and the Mid-West and West of Ireland is given priority and completed within the timeframe of the transition period for the Shannon stopover.”

Mr MacSweeney, who is also Chairman of Shannon Foynes Port Company, Meet Limerick Shannon and the Mid-West American Chamber of Commerce, said the arrival of Open Skies should be viewed as an opportunity and not as a threat. But he highlighted that the opportunity can only be realised if the Mid-West and West have the infrastructure needed to ensure connectivity to Shannon Airport.

“At the moment, Shannon Airport’s catchment area is approximately 300,000. By fast-tracking the completion of critical transport infrastructure within the region such as the Galway to Shannon motorway, the tunnel in Limerick, the Western rail corridor incorporating a rail-link to Shannon, and the motorways from Limerick to Waterford and Cork, Shannon Airport’s catchment area increases to approximately 700,000.”

Crucially, he said, the funding for these key projects must be ringfenced to ensure they are not adversely impacted by budget over-runs and delays in projects on the East Coast.

“The timing of the Shannon stopover change should also be linked to the completion of these critical infrastructure projects and not based on an arbitrary date.

“Allocating responsibility for the administration to a transport authority within the region is the best way of ensuring the projects are completed as early as possible within an integrated development plan for the region and to leverage the opportunity of Open Skies,” he said.