The Southend experience … the Essex airport has ambitions
In a bid to boost annual passenger numbers to two million by 2020, London Southend Airport is expanding and updating its services.
A new £3 million control tower has been opened at the airport, fitted with all of the latest technology to afford air traffic controllers with better runway views. The tower had not been upgraded since the 1960s.
The Southend airport is also seeing work being carried out on a runway extension which will elongate the runway by 300 metres. The airport will also welcome a new terminal building, which is slated for completion by this autumn.
Passengers will also find accessing the airport easier as train services to its new railway station have kicked off.
Located on the Southend Victoria to London line, the new £12 million railway station – which lies between Prittlewell and Rochford – will be managed by London Southend’s owners, The Stobart Group.
Head of business development at Stobart Air, Jonny Rayner, told the BBC that it was an “extremely significant” day for London Southend Airport.
“The opening of the railway station obviously gives us a connectivity to London that we’ve been talking to people about for some time. Obviously the control tower has been built for some time now, but to actually be able to officially open it today is a great day for the airport,” he added.
