This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Future of Scotland's aviation industry
12/11/2002
All of Scotland's airports will have the opportunity to
develop to their strengths, a conference has learned.
Speaking at the
Future Development of Air Transport in Scotland
conference in Edinburgh, Deputy Transport Minister Lewis
Macdonald highlighted the importance of the consultation
process undertaken by the Executive and the Department for
Transport.
The conference is the final in a series of events in
response to the Scottish aviation strategy paper launched
in July this year and allowed key aviation stakeholders to
come together to consider feedback to the paper.
Since the launch of a UK wide consultation in
partnership with the Department for Transport a series of
events, including business breakfasts, exhibitions and
conferences, have taken place across the country.
The Minister said:
"The aviation industry is critical to Scotland's future
and the on-going open and informed debate on how best to
ensure that rising demand for air transport benefits all
Scottish airports is vital.
"I am pleased that the events that have taken place in
our towns and cities focused on genuine engagement and
discussion of all the options in detail. We continue to be
keen to hear the views of all those concerned and urge
those who have not responded to the paper to do so now.
"The consultation is allowing us to plan for the
long-term and to take best advantage of the opportunities
associated with the forecasted growth in demand for air
travel, while minimising pollution and congestion.
"The way forward is to create partnership between
airports, airlines and the communities they serve and we
are committed to ensuring this means that we develop a
sustainable aviation strategy to allow all of our airports
to develop."