30th April, 2000
Report for AEF by Brendon Sewill in 2000, written for the consultation preceeding the government’s White Paper on aviation.
” A White Paper setting out UK aviation and airports policy and looking 30 years ahead is due to be published in 2001. To prepare for the White Paper, a number of studies are being carried out by DETR to assess the future demand for airport capacity in different parts of the UK and the scope for airport expansion in each region. The most complex and potentially controversial of these studies is the South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study (SERAS).
This paper is designed to show that, on present indications, these studies contain a serious flaw which may well invalidate the policy. Indeed it is suggested that the flaw may eventually lead to severe political upheaval.”