Land use plan - Manchester Airport

Surface Access and Car Parking
Strategic Highways
The Airport enjoys direct access to the motorway
network that serves most of our wide catchment area.
An efficient road network serving the Airport will remain
essential for the substantial numbers of passengers
travelling by road. Good road links are also necessary for
access by buses, coaches and courtesy vehicles and to
assist in dispersing the economic and social benefits
generated by the Airport. In the long-term, growth in
road traffic generally will mean that parts of the external
highway network will become overloaded during peak
periods and will require improvement. On a typical day
approximately 80,000 vehicles enter or leave the Airport
site. Approximately 80% of road traffic uses the M56
(75% from the north and 25% from the west). The rest of
the road traffic is distributed on other routes such as the
A538 and Ringway Road.
Air passenger road journeys are dominated by ‘pick up
and drop off’. Around 31% of passengers are dropped
off or picked up by others. A further 30% of passengers
use taxis, mainly private-hire operators. Private-hire taxis
are not able to ‘ply for hire’ and therefore in road traffic
terms, are very similar to ‘pick up and drop off’. This
means that around 70% of passengers use a travel
mode that involves 4 road journeys for every return air
trip. In contrast a passenger driving to the Airport and
parking on the site will generate 2 road journeys per
return air trip, and a passenger using public transport
generates no airport car journeys.
Staff journeys are another significant contributor to local
road traffic and account for 27% of total airport vehicle
movements. Currently 73% of staff journeys are by those
travelling alone in a car. As a result of our Green
Commuter Plan policies, there have been substantial
reductions in staff driving alone and this remains a major
element in our Ground Transport Plan.
The majority of airport road traffic will continue to access
the site via the M56. As part of the Second Runway
approval, we have entered into agreements with the
Highways Authorities to fund improvements to key parts
of the network. These works will provide an improved link
from Junction 6, M56 to Terminal 2; improvements
between Junction 5 and Junction 6 of the M56; and
improvements to the M56 spur and Hilton roundabout.
To the east, access is of a lower standard and a legal
agreement is in place for us to fund a diversion of
Ringway Road, between Styal Road and Shadow Moss
Road.
On a wider scale, a review of the strategic and local
transport needs of south-east Manchester and north
east Cheshire has been completed (SEMMMS). The
A555 Manchester Airport Link West is planned to be built
to dual carriageway standard with most junctions ‘at
grade’. Capacity on the road is to be safeguarded for the
provision of priority heavy goods and/or public transport
lanes, particularly to benefit access to the Airport.
There are a number of development sites that are
immediately adjacent to the Airport or are in close
proximity. These offer opportunities for development that
is in part connected to the Airport activity. In capturing
the economic benefits of the Airport, it is important that
good transport links to the Airport and to the strategic
road network are in place.
SA6
SA7
We will work with the Highways Agency and
local highway authorities to promote
improvements to the highway network and
improve the accessibility of the Airport.
We will bring forward proposals for the
improvement of Thorley Lane, Runger Lane and
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