Stansted remains the UK’s leading airport in terms of the proportion of passengers using public transport.

Delegates at the 15th Stansted Airport Transport Forum were told that the percentage of passengers travelling to or from flights by bus or rail has grown to 50.5%, compared with 15% when the airport’s main terminal opened 25 years ago.

During the same period, passenger numbers have increased from 1.1million to nearly 23m a year.

Karen Smart, Stansted’s customer service and security director, said at the event: “Our focus at Stansted is always on the passenger, making sure they have a seamless door-to-door experience and a great choice of transport options.

“We have a fantastic track record in this area and are currently number one in the UK for public transport use with over 50% of passengers using train, coach or bus to access the airport.”

She added: “There has been a lot of attention from Government, the Airports Commission and most recently the House of Commons Transport Committee on the pivotal role surface access to airports plays in the customer journey. This is all very welcome, but to maintain and improve access, from a Stansted perspective, it’s now time to act and invest in our rail and road connectivity.

“After 25 years I think it’s fair to say that the airport’s surface access offering has come an incredibly long way and set the standard for other airports to follow. #

“We’ve made great progress in delivering choice, convenience and flexibility to airport passengers, employees and the general public whilst delivering and exceeding our targets. Let’s hope the next 25 years can match and even better those achievements.”

This year’s forum, held Stansted Airport Radisson Blu hotel, was and attended by 120 community representatives, local councillors and public transport professionals.

The event showcases the work that the airport and its partners undertake to improve surface access links to the airport and sets future targets

Other speakers included John Pope, Essex County Council’s head of passenger transport, Tim Hawkins, corporate affairs director at Manchester Airports Group, which owns Stansted Airport, and Chris Moore, planning manager at Transport for London.