Re: Re: Cork Transport

Serving the entire western seaboard with a single ‘super’ airport, as sustainable or clever as it lmight look to some people on paper, is simply not feasible. First of all to close Cork airport would prove detrimental to the economy of the region. Secondly, and more practically, you simply cannot change peoples travel patterns so easily. Those who travel by car to Cork airport would most likely travel to Shannon by car, regardless of the possibility of a rail link. By merging the existing airports into one airport, you are obviously expanding hugely the rural hinterland being served, the majority of people being car dependant and much too far removed from the rail network to even consider using it. So, with the exception of your jet setting young urban professionals, a rail link to an airport so far removed would do nothing to justify such a move. The lack of an airport in Cork would further rule out the possibility of air-commuting between Cork and Dublin, and for that matter between Cork and the U.K. Cork is a city of such a size, and is such an important contributor to the Irish economy, as well as being an important toutism gateway, that people want to fly directly there, not have to travel half way across the country to get there. Cities much smaller than Cork support their own airports. And as for the whole argument of the range of destinations being unsatisfactory, the airport is not purporting to be anything more than it is, and obviously the supply is there to simply meet the demand, in which case it is fulfilling its purpose. Save a US route, I can’t see any problems, and if there is a deficiency somewhere, I’m sure the new terminal will allow for increased service where necessary, and suceed in attracting new airlines.