Aviation matters to all of us – whether for domestic and international travel, jobs, freight, supply chains, tourism and the other economic benefits it generates, or the land use planning, surface access, noise and other environmental impacts it generates.
Evaluating and presenting a balanced view and helping to formulate and influence aviation policy is what the Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (SASIG) is about. Our mission is to advance sustainable aviation policy on behalf of local communities.
SASIG is working on issues that already, or will, impinge substantially on the roles and responsibilities of local authorities. These include economic development and connectivity; development planning and safeguarding; noise, carbon emissions and other environmental impacts; surface access; and future modes of airborne personal transport.
And we have developed into a strategic partner that government and other stakeholders recognise as the first port of call for local authority views, research and representation.
Of course, it’s not been a typical year for any of us. Everything stopped with the pandemic, including most of the aviation sector and the Government’s own ‘Aviation 2050’ process, looking at its long-term vision for the sector. There has not been a comprehensive UK airport policy document since ‘The Future of Air Transport’ in 2003, so the Government’s immediate aviation recovery and longer-term strategic plans – expected around the turn of the year – will be very welcome.
“Our mission is to advance sustainable aviation policy”
SASIG has made an important contribution to aviation policy formulation by commissioning original research and liaising with Department for Transport officials to ensure the views of member authorities are heard and that the White Paper, when it comes, reflects them.
The research includes sponsoring, with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Independent Transport Commission, an analysis of the policy implications of future aviation technologies and completing a major report into the effects of COVID-19 on the local economies and budgets of councils with airport shareholdings or planning responsibilities.
The upcoming period is likely to be one of the busiest in SASIG’s 21-year history. It started on 14 July when Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launched the Government’s ‘greenprint’ to decarbonise domestic transport by 2050, including a consultation on net zero aviation or ‘jet zero’.
We are expecting, by the end of the year, further policy initiatives covering the post-pandemic recovery of aviation-dependent local economies, regional connectivity, air passenger duty and night noise, with work on airspace modernisation, air-freight strategy and role of new technologies in the longer term.
There has never been a more relevant time for local authorities to have a strong and well-informed voice to speak for them, and that is what SASIG provides.
We are not just for authorities with airport shareholdings, but also those directly or indirectly impacted by aviation. Our current membership covers nearly 40 councils, representing nearly 12 million people – approximately a fifth of the UK population.
We estimate more than 150 local authorities have civil, general or military aviation interests, and we expect all UK councils will need to engage with aviation over the next decade as drones, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and other forms of ‘advanced air mobility’ become widespread.
SASIG will be at the forefront of these developments, and we would be delighted to hear from you!