This is Bristol --YOUR leader last Wednesday asked a most pertinent question "Just ask yourself is there another country in Europe that would allow an airfield as significant as this to be dug up and then turned into a giant housing estate?"
You then had the courage to supply the answer; "Surely not", with the headline, "Anywhere else would have kept Filton Open".
You are so right. Most of our region's politicians, both national and local, should be hanging their heads in abject shame; with the sole exception of a minority of the South Gloucestershire councillors, who had the foresight from the outset to realise the long term economic damage this will bring not just to the aeronautical engineering industry, but to the economy of our entire region.
The other politicians of South Gloucestershire disgracefully thought they were onto a good thing.
They recognised that once Filton was closed, they could dump all the housing that central government dictates they must provide on Bristol's doorstep. They will supplement them with some offices and sheds.
This will enable them also to quickly house all of the businesses which will relocate out of Bristol when employers in Bristol give up the fight of being able to get their employees to and from work efficiently because of Bristol's negative and totally inadequate transport policies.
Immersed in their historical party political infighting, to date the politicians of Bristol appear to have been totally blinkered about Filton Airfield; apparently hiding behind the fact that as most of it is in South Gloucestershire it is not their responsibility.
What a load of ostriches they are! North of the City boundary, with their long term plans in place, the parasitic council of South Gloucestershire gleefully supported the weakest of arguments from the owners BAE, that the airfield was unprofitable. BAE now find themselves having to explain the embarrassing fact that even in the last year of operation, the airfield turned in a profit.
Meanwhile, as most of the politicians sat idly by, those really in the know, like the Post, could only wring their hands in total disbelief; not knowing where or to whom to turn for the application of some old fashioned common sense.
Your straightforward question clearly demonstrates how wrong it was to close Filton Airfield; not just for the aviation industry but for the entire region's wider economic good.
The implied challenge behind that question is whether the region has a person or persons authoritative and competent enough to ensure that even at this late stage, this invaluable piece of infrastructure is saved.
Bristol's MP's, Mayor and councillors should take their heads out of the sand, analyse your question, see the bigger picture, recognise what is clearly at stake, and act, and QUICKLY! In the seemingly never ending and nauseating game of chess between the councils of the Greater Bristol area, the majority of South Gloucestershire's current councillors have only at he moment been able to call "Check!" For all of our sakes, don't let that become "Check Mate!"
Peter Watts Reported by This is 8 hours ago.