UK airport surface access targets

Airport surface access is increasingly seen as a major problem not only in the UK but worldwide given its impact in terms of traffic congestion and environmental degradation. In 1998 the UK Government published a White Paper, ‘A New Deal for Transport’ that introduced the idea of Airport Transport Forums to be established by UK airports to set targets for the increase in the proportion of journeys to/from the airport made by public transport. In this paper the authors critically assess the targets set for achieving a greater use of public transport when making journeys to airports. Evidence is presented as to how UK airports have developed targets to respond to the Government’s initiative.