Exeter Airport sold as part of £200m deal
'Time for growth'
Mr Wiltshire said Exeter could handle up to 1.2m passengers annually, about 400,000 more than current levels, before requiring major infrastructure upgrades."Flights are pretty full, there's some capacity on the routes we're operating currently, but additional aircraft and new routes would help us reach that next level," Mr Wiltshire said.The airport currently serves 27 destinations including recently launched daily flights to Amsterdam with KLM which began in March. Addressing staffing concerns at the airport, which directly employs 230 people, he said: "We're not anticipating any change from the leadership team or on the ground at all, so it's business as usual as far as the staff and our customers are concerned."The deal, set to close later this month, will see ICG support airport operator's Regional & City Airports (RCA) "expansion across its airport, cargo, and executive aviation operations", said ICG."Now is the right time for the next phase in RCA's growth," said Steve Rigby, co-CEO of Rigby Group.
Airlines which operate from Exeter Airport include Ryanair, KLM, Aer Lingus and TUI.The site was used by fighter planes during World War Two, including the Polish Air Force's 307 Squadron in 1942.The airport has grown in size, with a new arrivals building being opened by the Princess Royal in June 1999 before a £950,000 departure lounge opened four years later.In January 2007, Devon County Council sold the airport to Regional and City Airports - a specialist airport investment and development group run by Balfour Beatty - in a deal worth £60m.In June 2013, Balfour Beatty sold the airport to Rigby Group for an undisclosed sum.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Lime bikes to be banned in London borough - with rival companies handed rental e-bike firm's contract
A west London borough is set to ban Lime bikes following complaints of 'anti-social' parking on pavements and hand over contracts to a rival e-bike rental firm instead Hounslow Council terminated its two-year agreement with Lime due to riders blocking pavements and the high price. It comes as a victory to competing e-bike companies Forest and Voi who have both been given contracts to set up their bikes in the borough instead. Lime have the monopoly on e-bikes across London, owning most of the estimated 30,000 in the city. Companies submitted their bids for the highly-desirable contracts during a competitive procurement process. A council spokesperson said the decision was 'shaped by widespread community feedback' which found residents wanted 'stronger parking compliance, faster response times to resident concerns, and more tailored and affordable pricing'. A spokesperson for Lime told The Telegraph: 'Despite acknowledging the quality of our service was higher in our bid, Hounslow council selected another provider because it offered them more money. 'This is a really disappointing outcome for the thousands of Hounslow residents that rely on our bikes daily to connect to other areas of London.' The City of London seized more than 100 e-bikes in February amid a clampdown on pavement parking and dangerously dumped e-bikes. James Bolton, Voi's UK general manager, said: 'We're delighted to win this contract and extend our London e-bike pilot to Hounslow. 'We will work responsibly and closely with the council to ensure our scheme works for everyone in the borough, stretching from Bedfont Lakes Country Park in the west to Chiswick House Gardens in the east. A Forest spokesperson said: 'The Hounslow tender was a highly competitive process and we're delighted our bid stood out.' Lime bikes have become a nuisance for people who find them stacked up outside their homes, blocking walkways or abandoned in the road. Charities including the Sight Loss Council and the National Federation of the Blind of the UK have repeatedly warned councils about the bikes posing a trip hazard or unnecessary obstacles for blind people. Last month actor Robert Powell, 81, revealed he 'sent 570 photographs' to Camden Council showing the bikes taking over his doorstep. The Bafta-nominated actor urged the council to take action, saying that he and his wife, Barbara Lord, once counted at least 100 bikes in a parking bay in front of their Highgate home. 'You've got two octogenarians here who are in danger of being killed,' Powell said. 'The entire pavement has been blocked by bikes. Camden say they prioritise safety and safer travel, so do they know that allowing bikes on pavements is not safe for anyone? 'Last year we called the police about the bikes, they just laughed.' Riders can rent e-bikes on the street in London by picking them up with a mobile phone app, but they are often not required to put them in a designated area after use. This has led to them blocking pavements across the capital - with councils receiving thousands of complaints and some even threatening to ban hire firms altogether. Mr Powell admitted that he was 'terrified' of having a heart attack due to having to move 10 to 12 heavy bikes from the area each day. He said his GP has even written a letter to the council explaining how stressful the situation is for him and his wife. The spot is particularly busy as it is close to Hampstead Heath, the actor told the Camden New Journal. Camden Council responded by saying it is working to relocate the bay and has marked out a new bay further up the road. Last December, new powers to crack down on the scourge of e-bikes and e-scooters being dumped on pavements were hailed as the 'beginning of the end for the Wild West model'. Enforcement has however, become increasingly complex, although the new powers mean Mayor Sadiq Khan will able to fine users and operators who dump their devices in dangerous locations. It comes after Transport for London (TfL) warned rental e-bike operators could be fined as part of measures to tackle 'significant safety issues' around poor parking. In September, Brent Council threatened that Lime would have to remove its e-bikes from the borough by October 31 for allegedly ignoring its safety concerns amid 'havoc' caused by the cycles. But the council agreed to allow Lime to continue operating after the company addressed these concerns. In Hammersmith and Fulham, more than 100 e-bikes were seized by the council in August last year after complaints from residents that they were blocking roads and pavements. TfL revealed last November that rental e-bike operators could be fined as part of measures to fight back against poor parking in London. It published a new 'enforcement policy' in response to widespread concerns about e-bikes blocking pavements and said it will take action over dockless e-bikes being left on its red route road network outside designated places, and on its land such as station forecourts and bus garages. This brings e-bike regulations closer into line with those for rental e-scooters, which are already required to be parked in bays. It added that responses may include warning letters, fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to operators, prosecutions and removal of vehicles. FPNs would be £100 each, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
Reuters
42 minutes ago
- Reuters
China's services activity growth hits 14-month high in July, S&P PMI shows
BEIJING, Aug 5 (Reuters) - China's services activity expanded at its fastest pace in 14 months in July, fuelled by stronger demand, including a rise in new export orders, a private-sector survey showed on Tuesday. The S&P Global China General Services PMI rose to 52.6 in July from 50.6 the previous month, marking the fastest pace since May last year. The 50-mark separates expansion from contraction. The reading contrasted with China's official survey, which showed services activity edging down slightly to 50.0 in July from 50.1 in June. The S&P PMI is considered a better read of trends among smaller, export-oriented firms, particularly along the east coast, while the official PMI primarily tracks large and medium-sized enterprises, including state-owned companies. Meanwhile, the S&P China General Composite PMI dipped to 50.8 in July from 51.3 the previous month. China's economy, the world's second largest, slowed less than expected in the second quarter helped by policy measures and factories leveraging the U.S.-China trade truce to front-load shipments. However, concerns remain about the second half of the year as export momentum weakens, prices decline and consumer confidence remains subdued, partly hurt by a prolonged property market downturn. According to the S&P Global survey, the fastest growth in new business in a year supported the rise in activity heading into the second half of the year. The new export orders sub-index rose for the first time in three months, bolstered by stronger tourism activity and more stable trade conditions. Last week, U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to pursue an extension of their 90-day tariff truce after two days of what both sides called constructive talks in Stockholm. The survey showed that after reducing staffing levels in June, service providers increased employment at the quickest rate since July 2024, driven by higher workloads and improved confidence. This led to a slower accumulation of backlogged work. Rising costs for raw materials, fuel and salaries kept average input prices in expansion territory in July. As a result, service providers raised their selling prices for the first time in six months. With new business and activity on the rise, overall business confidence improved. From July, Caixin no longer sponsors the S&P Global China PMI.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Permission granted for first-of-its-kind British rocket launch
Permission for the first vertical space launch from UK soil by a British rocket company has been granted by the air safety regulator. The licence from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) gives Glasgow-based Skyrora the green light to launch its Skylark L rocket from the SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands. "Skyrora is proud to be leading efforts that enable launch activity from the UK, and we look forward to achieving a reliable commercial launch programme that benefits us all," said Volodymyr Levykin, CEO of Skyrora. "It is essential that the UK has sovereign launch capabilities." Image: A Skyrora engineer builds a rocket in the company's factory near Glasgow While it's a step towards that goal, the licence doesn't mean the Shetlands will rival America's Cape Canaveral any time soon. Although the CAA licence allows Skyrora up to 16 launches a year, SaxaVord isn't expected to be able to facilitate a launch until early 2026. The current licence is also limited to sub-orbital launches of the 11m tall rocket. Skyrora expects its rocket to reach an altitude of between 120 and 130km - well over the 100km-high "Karman Line", which is the internationally-agreed boundary of space. But Skylark L lacks the heft to access low-earth orbit, the ultimate goal for the emerging "micro launch" industry. Image: A Skyrora engineer works on one of the company's rockets 'Important milestone' Like many of its competitors, Skyrora is using this smaller rocket to test various technologies - and the regulatory environment - before attempting an orbital flight with its larger vehicle, Skyrora-XL. Launching from northern latitudes like the UK offers easier access to satellites in polar or sun-synchronous orbits. Smaller rockets potentially mean cheaper and faster launches, offering a "responsive" launch capability to service or support the increasing number of satellites in orbit. "I am thrilled we've reached this important milestone in the UK space sector, and I congratulate Skyrora for being the first UK company to receive a rocket launch licence," said aviation and space minister Mike Kane. The UK, however, has been criticised for being slow to develop a domestic space capability since the Space Industry Act made it possible back in 2018. The first licence for a UK space launch wasn't granted until 2022, but the attempt by Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic for a horizontal rocket launch from an aircraft failed. Read more on Sky News: Hunt for smugglers fuelling meth explosion Sky reporter returns to scene of riots confrontation Another licence was granted earlier this year to German micro-launch company RFA but an explosion during testing of their rocket at SaxaVord delayed its plans for a suborbital launch this year. Modifications being made to the SaxaVord spaceport mean it may not be ready to accommodate a launch until 2026. Skyrora told Sky News that if there are significant delays to its plans to launch from SaxaVord, it may look into transferring its CAA licence to Australia's regulator. If so, it expects it could launch SkylarkL from Australia's Woomera test range before the end of 2025. No doubt that would be a disappointment for the UK government and thousands of space enthusiasts in the UK, but it would see history repeat itself. The first (and last) British-built rocket to put a satellite into orbit, Black Arrow, launched from Woomera in 1971. Related Topics
