Richmond - Sydney's second airport?

[Lee G]

SMH - 23 November 2009

New airport set for take-off

THE Rudd Government is expected to pave the way for the Richmond air force base to be opened up to commercial airline traffic when it releases its long-awaited aviation white paper next month.

As part of the revamp of aviation policy, the blueprint will renew the search for a permanent site for a second Sydney airport after 63 years of political wrangling.

The Richmond RAAF base is expected to be announced as a temporary solution while the Government intensifies its search for a permanent location.

The white paper is expected to highlight the long-term need for a second airport north of the Sydney basin but closer than Newcastle. The Williamtown RAAF base has been touted as a possible site.

The development of Richmond would take pressure off Sydney Airport, which had more than 3 million passengers last month for the first time despite a downturn in travel.

''The most obvious is Richmond, but that is not a long-term option,'' a well-placed source said.

The Board of Airline Representatives, on behalf of international airlines flying to and from Australia, said it would welcome Richmond as the site for a second Sydney airport.

''We don't believe that an airport outside the Sydney basin would be viable. It would just become a white elephant,'' the board's executive director, Warren Bennett, said.

The only way to make a second airport viable commercially would be to place it near a large population and have it serve both international and domestic passengers, he said. The cost of providing transport links to Richmond would also be cheaper than sites such as Williamtown, which would need a high-speed rail link to Sydney.

Richmond is capable of handling most long-haul aircraft and would suit low-cost airlines such as Jetstar and the Singapore Airlines-backed Tiger Airways.

But any use of Richmond by commercial aircraft, even on an interim basis, would face staunch opposition in the area. Hawkesbury Council said in a response to the aviation green paper that it would have ''an unacceptable impact on the community''.

It is understood support is building within Labor for an airport inland from the Central Coast. The party's policy is for a second airport to be sited outside the Sydney basin.

The federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, has not previously ruled Richmond in or out as a site for a second airport but has struck Blacktown Airport and Badgerys Creek off the list.

A spokesman for the minister said the white paper would most likely be released next month. He would not comment on the use of Richmond as a stop-gap measure but said the blueprint would address the needs for additional airport capacity and the future of Badgerys Creek.

The State Government backed a second airport in the Sydney basin in its response to the aviation green paper, a U-turn on its previous preference for the Williamtown RAAF base at Newcastle. The change of heart was due to the cost of a high-speed rail link.

[Kieran Wells]

Originally Posted by Lee G

SMH - 23 November 2009


The federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, has not previously ruled Richmond in or out as a site for a second airport but has struck Blacktown Airport and Badgerys Creek off the list.

Blacktown Airport??? I think this should have been Bankstown! There has never been plans for an airport at Blacktown...

[Dan Collins]

Quite interesting, if only temporarily - Richmond is easier for me to get to for spotting than Sydney :P

Blacktown Airport? Probably means Bankstown, but heck, the land for Schofields aerodrome is still there!

Dan

[Rich W]

Makes sense to have a second airport that serves Western Sydney. I live in the North West, getting to YSSY in peak hour is hell plus don't get me started about the road tolls, and the fact there is no rail out here!

Richmond is a good idea in the short term however they will need to improve public transport to local roads in the area before this can happen.

[Andrew P]

bring back the Duffy's Forest airport plans!!!!

[Lee G]

Bankstown has only one advantage - the East Hills line which runs to the airport runs about 5 km from YSBK so to extend it wouldn't be such a big deal. There is already a triple line from Wolli to Revesby. However - there simply isn't the land available to extend the airport and the owners have already started to redevelop the land as commercial.

Richmond would give the North West corridor it's much needed rail upgrade and Newcastle would invigorate the Hunter...

.... now if only the State Government would spend some of our hard earned tax dollars instead of blowing it on meaningless stuff .... almost eveyone would be happy!

[Peter Agatsiotis]

They should have gone ahead with Badgery's Creek (biased as I live 15km from the 'proposed site). Too late now as they are talking about housing 150,000 at Bringelly and surrounds.

I remember when it was first proposed I had a visit from the anti-airport lobby who were organising a petition and the guy was 'gob-smacked' when I said I was all for an airport close by!!
I explained to him that I flew quite frequently and had to get up at 4am so I could make a 6:30 or 7am flight! In those days the M5 stopped at King Georges Rd and the M4 stopped at Huntingwood and then you could rejoin at May's Hill.

Bankstown is out for the reasons already outlined plus very strong resistance from the "Regionals' who only a year or so ago were going to be 'pushed to Bankstown'.

Richmond would need enormous development to even come close to an international airport. Existing runway too short for long haul ops. Even the C17's (USAF) have to go to QLD to refuel for their onward journey.
I worked there for 4 years and another problem is fog that hangs around for hours as there are no 'sea breezes' to clear it quickly. It is also in a flood plain and even though it is elevated it can quite easily be cut off if the river overflows.

(Only yesterday a burst water main at Quakers Hill forced the rail line to be closed.)

There was talk of buliding a north/south runway which would cut accross Clarendon which would mean they would have to replace the road and rail links that run past the airport.

Once agin a few airlines would baulk at having to duplicate systems/staff at another airport.

I know it will be a long way off if anything happens but with politics these ideas come and go.

[Gerard M]

Originally Posted by Peter Agatsiotis

Richmond would need enormous development to even come close to an international airport. Existing runway too short for long haul ops. Even the C17's (USAF) have to go to QLD to refuel for their onward journey.
I worked there for 4 years and another problem is fog that hangs around for hours as there are no 'sea breezes' to clear it quickly. It is also in a flood plain and even though it is elevated it can quite easily be cut off if the river overflows.

To be honest i hope they never get round to it much like the train or whatever line they were going to give us at Castle hill and the rail links etc etc etc the list goes on. But lets say somehow it does happen, as you said the fog is going to be one of their biggest problems. I drove through many days and as late as September there was some pretty heavy fog still hanging around. Good luck to them. Oh and good luck getting the support of the local community!

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Actually Gerard, the local community are very interested in Richmond operating into the future. There was a very strong indication that the RAAF would be out by 2010 and local businesses were up in arms. You have several thousand military and civilains working there and they need housing, shops, garages, doctors, banks, chemists, lots of pubs! etc.... The staff there contribute millions to the local economy. The airport is not that busy now that 33 Sqn has all but moved out and traffic volumes are very low in comparison to other bases.

Obviously a different scenario with airline type operations and vastly increased traffic in the area. And there would have to be a curfew. Even now the airfield officialy 'opens' at 8am and very little flying after dark except for training and emergency operations.

[Chris Griffiths]

Originally Posted by Andrew P

bring back the Duffy's Forest airport plans!!!!

Actually Duffy's Forest presents somewhat of a catch-22 for our Labor State & Federal governments, they could steam roll the airport through and build it in a heartbeat with no regard to lost votes but would have to improve public transport to the area which is something they have continually refused to do.. also due to the fact there are no votes in it!