EGNOS

(asked on 21st February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the economic effect on businesses and the local economy in the areas around airports affected by the cancellation of European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Services; and whether they will place a copy of any such assessment in the Library of the House.


Answered by
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 3rd March 2022

The Government’s policy on the UK’s membership of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) took account of the likely safety and operational impacts on the UK’s aviation sector if the UK withdrew from the EGNOS programme set against the expected cost of more than £30million per annum to the taxpayer of remaining within it.

Whilst there may be operational impacts for operators – such as landing at airports in certain weather conditions - it was assessed that the safety impacts of removal of EGNOS would be minimal given the availability of alternative landing procedures and the requirement for pilots to fly in accordance with the established regulations at the time of their flight.

Although no specific assessment of the possible impact on the wider impact on business and the local economy was undertaken, it was considered that the overall impact on the operations of the 18 UK airports affected, and the communities they serve, would be marginal.

The UK Government is currently exploring the potential options for future participation in space-based augmentation systems which have the potential to cost far less than EGNOS membership.

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