Free parking at Southend Airport (From Southend Standard)

A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

Thats brill news, many thanks

Why shouldn't Stobart try and protect their business? Nothing to stop the other operators from coming up with their own incentives.

Just tried to book and they are trying to charge a quid, so unless free has a new definition I am not aware about then this story is false in its claims. jayman will be pleased

Thekingofsouthend wrote:
Just tried to book and they are trying to charge a quid, so unless free has a new definition I am not aware about then this story is false in its claims. jayman will be pleased

Might it be a booking fee, with parking free.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Shoebury Cyclist - that is a ridiculous comment, even by your own high standards.

Tesco regularly discount products to levels with which competitors can not compete. The airport is also not reducing everything to zero - I think you'll find that it is only one long stay car park affected, while you still have to pay for food and drink in the cafe, the concession owners will still be paying rent and the airlines still paying whatever fees they need to. Yes. this is probably a cynical attempt to hurt the competition but, given the amounts invested, why shouldn't they?

Also that is a good point from Max about potential trademark infringement and I trust Ms Larman has looked into this carefully.

For the record, I have no connection with the airport and, while the occasional additional noise can be frankly something of a pain in the bits, think the expansion has been a good thing.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Fellating... Thats a mouthfull...

So are you seriously stating that the operators of the airport do not have the right to make such an offer as they have?

If so then surely all sales, bogof's, Special Offers and any other deal offered by shops must also be stopped as they could prove detrimental to other traders.

The tool is a fool.

I would hazard a guess, that January and February are quiet times of the year anyway ?

Free a four letter word nobody minds...

Unless your name is......

Brilliant stuff, very generous of the airport, Eddie Stobart really seem to care about the people of South East Essex.

A big company with old fashioned values very nice to see!

I look forward to many more flights out of this airport :-)

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Fellating... Thats a mouthfull...

So are you seriously stating that the operators of the airport do not have the right to make such an offer as they have?

If so then surely all sales, bogof's, Special Offers and any other deal offered by shops must also be stopped as they could prove detrimental to other traders.

The tool is a fool.

It's the way it's been done. Two months of free parking, calculated to put any competition out of business. It's a cynical move by the airport, and in my eyes Stobart are now no better than Tesco. Corporate scum who will stop at nothing to drive the small businessman out of business.

january and febuary, the two big months everyone jets off oh hang on it isnt the busy period.
Southend London airport has to compete and convince people who normally use stansted and city to come use them so free parking is possibly the only tool and form of discount available to assist carriers with putting bums in seats.
It is in the intrests of the alternative parking company to also offer incentives perhaps a free car wash, tyre pressures screen wash checks.

january and febuary, the two big months everyone jets off oh hang on it isnt the busy period.
Southend London airport has to compete and convince people who normally use stansted and city to come use them so free parking is possibly the only tool and form of discount available to assist carriers with putting bums in seats.
It is in the intrests of the alternative parking company to also offer incentives perhaps a free car wash, tyre pressures screen wash checks.

january and febuary, the two big months everyone jets off oh hang on it isnt the busy period.
Southend London airport has to compete and convince people who normally use stansted and city to come use them so free parking is possibly the only tool and form of discount available to assist carriers with putting bums in seats.
It is in the intrests of the alternative parking company to also offer incentives perhaps a free car wash, tyre pressures screen wash checks.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Fellating... Thats a mouthfull...

So are you seriously stating that the operators of the airport do not have the right to make such an offer as they have?

If so then surely all sales, bogof's, Special Offers and any other deal offered by shops must also be stopped as they could prove detrimental to other traders.

The tool is a fool.

It's the way it's been done. Two months of free parking, calculated to put any competition out of business. It's a cynical move by the airport, and in my eyes Stobart are now no better than Tesco. Corporate scum who will stop at nothing to drive the small businessman out of business.

So you hate the airport and Stobarts you do not use the airport so I take it you will not use or buy anything that Stobarts deliver/transport by road or rail.

Are you seriously saying that the airport operators do not have the right to offer free car parking in ONE car park as thats all it is ONE car park a SINGLE car park.

So if you beleve that the airport should not offer a special discount than surely you must also extend this view to all retailers and never make use of a sale, buy one get one free, reduced prices or any other special offer or is it only because it is the airport.


A true story:

Two nerds are riding along on a tandem, when suddenly, the one on the front slams on the brakes, gets off and starts letting air out of the tires.

The one on the back says: "HEY! What are you doing that for!?"

The first nerd says, "My seat was too high and was hurting my butt. I wanted to lower it a bit."

So the one in the back has had enought. He jumps off, loosens his own seat and spins it round to face the other direction.

Now it's the first guy's turn to wonder what's going on. "What are you doing?" he asks his friend.

"Look mate," says the rider in the back, "if you're going to do stupid stuff like that, I'm going home!!"

I wonder when free flights will comence , free parking, free landing fees, I am looking forward to the free mushy peas. Its a good job SBC charge a pepercorn rent as the airport may not be able to afford all the free bees otherwise , It wont be long now before more free stuff will be comming out of the airport, noise insulation, glazing , and thousands of punds compensation, and before the critics start just remember the amount of pro airport, supports that are also claiming compo their legal right. maybe the free flights will start from southend, when stanstead with a proper runway ups the anti,

ready steady go your comments welcome!

Maxell

Break the sound barrier.

More bad news for the nimbys:

Southend Airport has come out top in easyJet’s latest Customer Satisfaction Survey.

The survey, which was conducted across all of easyJet’s airports, asked travellers to rate their travelling experience, Southend Airport came out top.

maxell wrote:
I wonder when free flights will comence , free parking, free landing fees, I am looking forward to the free mushy peas. Its a good job SBC charge a pepercorn rent as the airport may not be able to afford all the free bees otherwise , It wont be long now before more free stuff will be comming out of the airport, noise insulation, glazing , and thousands of punds compensation, and before the critics start just remember the amount of pro airport, supports that are also claiming compo their legal right. maybe the free flights will start from southend, when stanstead with a proper runway ups the anti,

ready steady go your comments welcome!

You really are THE prized bell-end.

The airport have always said they would pay the compensation that was due, the airport have always said that they would sponsor the cost of sound proofing and double glazing in the properties that qualify.

Seeing as it looks like I am going to fail in getting an answer from Shoebury_cyclist about the discounted parking and the fact that the airport operators are perfectly within their rights to make such an offer an offer Showbury_cyclist beleves is wrong and should not be happening.

So with this in mind I take it you too do not agree with it, so therefore would you extend that view to shops that have sales, buy one get one free's and other discounts taking things further should out of town retail estates such as lakeside and bluewater be stopped from offering free parking.

I extend this question to Shoebury_cyclist as well, be intresting to hear (or read) your view point on that subject I have requested your views on.

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Fellating... Thats a mouthfull...

So are you seriously stating that the operators of the airport do not have the right to make such an offer as they have?

If so then surely all sales, bogof's, Special Offers and any other deal offered by shops must also be stopped as they could prove detrimental to other traders.

The tool is a fool.

It's the way it's been done. Two months of free parking, calculated to put any competition out of business. It's a cynical move by the airport, and in my eyes Stobart are now no better than Tesco. Corporate scum who will stop at nothing to drive the small businessman out of business.

So you hate the airport and Stobarts you do not use the airport so I take it you will not use or buy anything that Stobarts deliver/transport by road or rail.

Are you seriously saying that the airport operators do not have the right to offer free car parking in ONE car park as thats all it is ONE car park a SINGLE car park.

So if you beleve that the airport should not offer a special discount than surely you must also extend this view to all retailers and never make use of a sale, buy one get one free, reduced prices or any other special offer or is it only because it is the airport.


A true story:

Two nerds are riding along on a tandem, when suddenly, the one on the front slams on the brakes, gets off and starts letting air out of the tires.

The one on the back says: "HEY! What are you doing that for!?"

The first nerd says, "My seat was too high and was hurting my butt. I wanted to lower it a bit."

So the one in the back has had enought. He jumps off, loosens his own seat and spins it round to face the other direction.

Now it's the first guy's turn to wonder what's going on. "What are you doing?" he asks his friend.

"Look mate," says the rider in the back, "if you're going to do stupid stuff like that, I'm going home!!"

It's the shoddy business practice. In these times of austerity a large company deliberately putting small enterprises out of business is morally wrong.

I am disgusted by the airport's behaviour here.

I'm sorry if my opinion upsets you, but my view of your beloved airport will not change, and this incident has only served to strengthen my it. So build a fence and get over it.

ok, so the airport's behaviour here is perhaps not exemplary, however, let's put this into perspective. They are reducing the fees on ONE of their car parks to free during the hardly peak periods of January and February for pre-bookings only and with exclusions applying (February half term week?). This is not exactly a major concession and, to be honest, if a competing car parking company (which is already trying to piggy back the airport's success) ses this as a threat, then maybe it does't really have a particularly strong business plan to start with.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If Tesco suddenly said, "Everything is free for two months" to deliberately put all the local small shops out of business, would you be happy with that?

It's only because you spend your life fellating the airport that you support this cynical measure from the airport.

Fellating... Thats a mouthfull...

So are you seriously stating that the operators of the airport do not have the right to make such an offer as they have?

If so then surely all sales, bogof's, Special Offers and any other deal offered by shops must also be stopped as they could prove detrimental to other traders.

The tool is a fool.

It's the way it's been done. Two months of free parking, calculated to put any competition out of business. It's a cynical move by the airport, and in my eyes Stobart are now no better than Tesco. Corporate scum who will stop at nothing to drive the small businessman out of business.

So you hate the airport and Stobarts you do not use the airport so I take it you will not use or buy anything that Stobarts deliver/transport by road or rail.

Are you seriously saying that the airport operators do not have the right to offer free car parking in ONE car park as thats all it is ONE car park a SINGLE car park.

So if you beleve that the airport should not offer a special discount than surely you must also extend this view to all retailers and never make use of a sale, buy one get one free, reduced prices or any other special offer or is it only because it is the airport.


A true story:

Two nerds are riding along on a tandem, when suddenly, the one on the front slams on the brakes, gets off and starts letting air out of the tires.

The one on the back says: "HEY! What are you doing that for!?"

The first nerd says, "My seat was too high and was hurting my butt. I wanted to lower it a bit."

So the one in the back has had enought. He jumps off, loosens his own seat and spins it round to face the other direction.

Now it's the first guy's turn to wonder what's going on. "What are you doing?" he asks his friend.

"Look mate," says the rider in the back, "if you're going to do stupid stuff like that, I'm going home!!"

It's the shoddy business practice. In these times of austerity a large company deliberately putting small enterprises out of business is morally wrong.

I am disgusted by the airport's behaviour here.

I'm sorry if my opinion upsets you, but my view of your beloved airport will not change, and this incident has only served to strengthen my it. So build a fence and get over it.

So by your logic ANY and ALL businesses that offer a special offer that makes it's product and or service cheaper than an rival offer a similar service is operating under a shoddy business practice.

So I take it you never buy any sale/discount/buy one get one free items.

or is it only the airport that your logic (or lack of) applies to, in which case it's a bit of a hypocritical don't you think.

So with Bullwood Hall being shut down would you rather a SuperMax Jail be built there? (Beofre you say I know they have said that another jail is not proposed for Essex it's a hypothetical question)


If it narks you so very much why not find a plot of land and offer your own car parking, or woud that be morally wrong and a shoddy business practice to take on another private firm.

Bike Riders Ring The bellend

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If they are in a dominant market position then they are precluded from predatory pricing by the Competition Act. They need to be very careful, as the fines can be huge. I'd be surprised if the other parking businesses trying to get a foothold in the market had not reported this to the OFT for their opinion, or even consulted a competition lawyer if they feel that this meets the criteria for dominance and predatory pricing and they can show that they have suffered loss of business as a result.

Nebs, while I can't say it categorically, I would be surprised if this situation would be caught by the Competition Act as the parking is being provided on land owned by the Airport and they have the right/ability to charge what they want for the provision of this service. The fact that this is on a limited basis, both in timescale and location would also count against such an argument. If other businesses have subsequently set themselves up to profit from the airport being there then that is up to them but the fact that the airport provided parking before they came in to existence will not help any case.

Airport gives free parking. A very generous offer the community and others but ar the same time the Airport applies block up footpath 36 which is an ancient footpath between Eastwood and Rochford. It is seemingly giving in one hand but taking in the other.

Sorry, let me rewrite that so it reads better.
'Free parking at Southend Airport'. On the face of it this indeed is a very generous offer to the community and others but at the same time the Airport applies to stop up Footpath 36 which is an ancient footpath between Eastwood and Rochford. It would seem that the Airport give to the community in one hand but take away with the other.
Sorry again....hope this makes better reading

Its the 21st century, you dont need to use a footpath, Cherry orchard way will get you to Rochford just as easily, or you could walk down aviation way and re join the footpath by the golf course rather than venturing on to a working airfield.

j-w wrote:
Its the 21st century, you dont need to use a footpath, Cherry orchard way will get you to Rochford just as easily, or you could walk down aviation way and re join the footpath by the golf course rather than venturing on to a working airfield.

You forgot about not getting muddy shoes by sticking to Cherry Orchard Way and Aviation Way.

Nebs wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

AndyBSG wrote:
A generous gesture from the airport or a calculated move to try and put the independent car parking firms in the area out of business?

Exactly this. I've seen some cynical things in my time but calling a deliberate move to shut down fair competition a 'birthday gift' takes the biscuit.

So are you saying shops and businesses are not permitted to have sales and discounts make special offers, so I take it you do not make use of any offers, discounts or sales...

The airport are not breaking any laws are they, if the operators of the unofficial car parks are not happy why do they not offer their own discounts.

I would like to know if the unofficial operators can use the name "Southend Airport" or the name trademarked.

If they are in a dominant market position then they are precluded from predatory pricing by the Competition Act. They need to be very careful, as the fines can be huge. I'd be surprised if the other parking businesses trying to get a foothold in the market had not reported this to the OFT for their opinion, or even consulted a competition lawyer if they feel that this meets the criteria for dominance and predatory pricing and they can show that they have suffered loss of business as a result.

The unoffical car park was set up AFTER the airport expanded to attract the trade that would have used the airports own car parks, had the car park been operating before the airport expanded and set out it's car parks then they might have had a claim.

However up until October last year they did not have planning permission to operate the site located in Coopers Way, on the Temple Farm industrial estate, (not sure if this has changed)

Do SACP inform people that they have no assosiation with the airport?

Max - there is nothing anyhere on their website to indicate that they are or are not associated with the Airport. As they are not using the logo or colours or either of the names 'Stobart' and 'London Southend Airport' they may be ok. I would assume Ms Larman (and, I dare say, Alastair Welch) has fully checked this out but if not, now might be a good time to do so...

j-w wrote:
Its the 21st century, you dont need to use a footpath, Cherry orchard way will get you to Rochford just as easily, or you could walk down aviation way and re join the footpath by the golf course rather than venturing on to a working airfield.

With the greatest of respect it's not a matter of venturing on a working airfield it's a matter of an airfield taxiway venturing across a public footpath which it has done since I was in my teens. Back then and since with the use of a zebra crossing on the said taxiway walkers/ramblers have co-existed admirably and with respect of the occasional plane being towed along the taxiway to a storage or maintenance point. What has so drastically changed in this harmonious situation that the Airport wish to stop up and divert this ancient footpath? Why are they so hell bent to ride rough shot over everything which is the heritage of Eastwood? Why change things now after all this time? As I have stated everything has worked very well as it stands all these years including the time the Airport has been functioning under the present management. If it's deemed now, by that same management, that it's a matter of 'Health and Safety' to close footpath 36 then I feel that electronic controlled gates with cameras at the edge of the taxiway should be considered as adequate to satisfy both airport and walkers.

Wonder if all those that say the airport should not offer discounts use and make use of shops that have discounts/sales etc...

In life things progress and things have to change. Footpath 36 goes across a working airport, an airport which is providing jobs and improving the area for the good. Can't ramblers seriously cope with losing one footpath or having it re-routed for the bigger good?
As for the free parking, SACP are piggy-backing on the growth of the airport for their own financial gain and this offer will no doubt increase the interest in the airport so when the free parking expires SACP (if they are clever enough) will profit from the increase business.
This offer is no different to what all other business's do, and isn't this what SACP are doing? Underpricing the airport to steal business away from Stobbart?

EssexPerson wrote:
In life things progress and things have to change. Footpath 36 goes across a working airport, an airport which is providing jobs and improving the area for the good. Can't ramblers seriously cope with losing one footpath or having it re-routed for the bigger good?
As for the free parking, SACP are piggy-backing on the growth of the airport for their own financial gain and this offer will no doubt increase the interest in the airport so when the free parking expires SACP (if they are clever enough) will profit from the increase business.
This offer is no different to what all other business's do, and isn't this what SACP are doing? Underpricing the airport to steal business away from Stobbart?

Spot on.

There has been no wrong doing by the airport, the Competition Act has NOT been broken as SACP opened AFTER the airport expanded and opened BECAUSE the airport expanded.

Max Impact wrote:

j-w wrote:
Its the 21st century, you dont need to use a footpath, Cherry orchard way will get you to Rochford just as easily, or you could walk down aviation way and re join the footpath by the golf course rather than venturing on to a working airfield.

You forgot about not getting muddy shoes by sticking to Cherry Orchard Way and Aviation Way.

I would rather get muddy boots than breathing in Carbon Monoxide walking down Cherry Orchard Way and Aviation Way.

The point is that it's a an ancient footpath, a public right of way and should continue to be so.

an ancient right of way because there used to be no other way. Now there are many other ways and the area is not land owned by a lord of the Manor, the local Earl or king but a working airport.

j-w wrote:
an ancient right of way because there used to be no other way. Now there are many other ways and the area is not land owned by a lord of the Manor, the local Earl or king but a working airport.

Many on here comment to those who bought properties near the airport and now have a complaint about the Airport expansion :- 'You knew the airport was there or the Airport has been there longer than you'. So let me now turn that around and say ' the footpath was there long before the Airport and I say again that it is the Taxiway that crosses the footpath not the footpath that crosses the Taxiway. Also this is a footpath recognised and designated as such by Essex County Council as it has been by all previous owners/operators of the Airfield/Airport.

j-w wrote:
an ancient right of way because there used to be no other way. Now there are many other ways and the area is not land owned by a lord of the Manor, the local Earl or king but a working airport.

Many on here comment to those who bought properties near the airport and now have a complaint about the Airport expansion :- 'You knew the airport was there or the Airport has been there longer than you'. So let me now turn that around and say ' the footpath was there long before the Airport and I say again that it is the Taxiway that crosses the footpath not the footpath that crosses the Taxiway. Also this is a footpath recognised and designated as such by Essex County Council as it has been by all previous owners/operators of the Airfield/Airport.

sorry about the double comment

Also this is a footpath recognised and designated as such by Essex County Council as it has been by all previous owners/operators of the Airfield/Airport. And now the current operators want the designation changed. Nothing wrong with that, It doesn't impede anyone who still wishes to walk from Eastwood to Rochford as there are now other route choices which didn't exist when the land was privately owned. Security never used to be much of an issue either but the world has changed and the airport has to operate to the highest security to protect passengers and locals alike. Having an open pathway across an active passenger airfield makes a nonsense of the security needed elsewhere on the airfield. It has nothing to do with ancient rights, lots of things are not done how they used to be, I bet most of the people who have used the footpath over last fifty years have used it because of the airport (I.E Aircraft Enthusiasts).

I think that quite naturally I make the point that if security is so important now why wasn't it so in past years and why not when Stobberts first took over the Airport? Has the world changed so much since then? I feel there is no need to redirect Footpath 36. Electronic gates would surffice and would possibly be cheaper for the Airport than redirecting the footpath (laying of pavement?) which they say they will pay for.

Shrimpers Not Blues wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

j-w wrote:
Its the 21st century, you dont need to use a footpath, Cherry orchard way will get you to Rochford just as easily, or you could walk down aviation way and re join the footpath by the golf course rather than venturing on to a working airfield.

You forgot about not getting muddy shoes by sticking to Cherry Orchard Way and Aviation Way.

I would rather get muddy boots than breathing in Carbon Monoxide walking down Cherry Orchard Way and Aviation Way.

The point is that it's a an ancient footpath, a public right of way and should continue to be so.

Shrimpers Not Blues wrote:
"...The point is that it's a an ancient footpath, a public right of way and should continue to be so."
.
Maybe you want to graze your animals on Shoebury common whilst you're about it?

RE "although some dates may be restricted"
Oh come on Southend Airport and Echo - tell us how it is for goodness sake. Half Term dates are not free, there is a £1 admin fee even when it is supposedly 'free'. Please stop mis-selling this even though you will undoubtedly say 'read the small print'.