PLANS for a link road which were put forward as part of Stansted Airport's potential expansion have been dropped, it has been announced.The road, proposed by the Department for Transport, would have left the M11 between junctions eight and nine and joined the A120 in the Takeley area.

By Roddy Ashworth

PLANS for a link road which were put forward as part of Stansted Airport's potential expansion have been dropped, it has been announced.

The road, proposed by the Department for Transport, would have left the M11 between junctions eight and nine and joined the A120 in the Takeley area.

However, yesterday Stansted owner BAA said it had reviewed the situation and would be able to provide a less environmentally-damaging network by improving existing road access.

Instead of the link road to the north and east of Stansted Airport, BAA is to consider a significant upgrade of the links that already exist to the airport around junction eight of the motorway.

Two broad approaches will be studied - the first looking at improvements to the current airport access from junction eight and the A120, and the second looking at providing additional airport access immediately north of junction eight from the M11 and the A120.

The new proposals have been discussed with the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency and it is thought they would reduce the environmental impact of the airport development.

Meanwhile, environmental survey information will also be gathered on the possibility of widening the M11 between the M25 and junction eight in line with proposals set out in The Future of Air Transport White Paper published in December 2003.

The findings will help inform decisions on motorway capacity to accommodate future traffic growth in line with plans for regional growth and development, as well as the future expansion of Stansted.

Alastair McDermid, second runway project director, said: “As our plans continue to take shape for the second runway development, I am delighted that by dropping plans for the M11/A120 link road we have removed an element of uncertainty for those living in communities to the north and east of Stansted.

“Our focus now moves to other options, and the environmental surveys that will help to decide which proposal to take through a full public consultation process.

“Only after all views have been taken into account, will the exact nature of the scheme to be included with our planning application for a second runway be decided.

“We expect this application to be made in summer 2007.”

roddy.ashworth@eadt.co.uk