Transport Correspondent Campbell Docherty looks at the main points of Birmingham International Airport's draft master plan

RUNWAY EXTENSION

The existing main runway is 2,605 metres long. At its current length, existing and new emerging markets in South-east Asia, China, the Far East and Pacific Rim, together with the Mid-West and West coast parts of the USA and Canada, cannot be directly served with commercial services.

The airport proposes to extend the runway by 400 metres to the south to give it a total length of 3,000 metres.

The existing A45 Coventry Road would have to be rerouted and placed in a tunnel under the runway end safety area, at a cost of about £40 million.

The airport is seeking a partnership with local authorities in order to raise the money required.

SECOND RUNWAY

Demand forecasts suggest the extended runway will be severely constrained by 2020

Richard Heard, BIA managing director: "Although some elements of the proposals will not be needed for many years, the draft master plan should help to remove uncertainty for our neighbours.

"The trust and support from the communities we serve is vital and crucial to our success.

"The airport brings many benefits to the local community, not least jobs and wealth, but we are aware that operations can impact on the lives of our neighbours. "We would want to have the extended runway operating by and a new one would be required to enable the airport to continue to satisfy forecast demand of 33 million passengers a year by 2030.

The proposed new runway is 2,000 metres long and 1,035 metres south-west of the existing runway, in order that the two could operate independently, but linked to the existing runway and terminals with new taxiways.

In order to minimise the impact on residents, the proposed new runway would only be used by the quieter, modern aircraft and not used at all at night.

NEW TERMINAL THREE

It is forecast that the current passenger terminals can be expanded to accommodate a maximum throughput of 15 million passengers a year by 2030. It is proposed that the new Terminal 3 would be developed south of Terminal Two with a new second people mover link to the Birmingham International public transport interchange.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The Birmingham International Interchange, opened in 2003, connects the airport with the National Exhibition Centre and the West Coast Main Line via the skyrail Air-Rail Link, which has a 90-second journey time.

However, the interchange will need to be expanded in the future and be connected to the proposed new Terminal 3 by a second dedicated people mover system, the Midland Metro 'airport' line (due in 2012), and a more comprehensive bus and coach interchange.

ROADS

Beyond 2011, the M42 and junction 6 (BIA/NEC/A45) of the M6 are expected to have insufficient capacity. A significantly improved, or new junction, south of J6 is expected to be required, with additional link capacity on the M42 itself. of the M6. If that is not sorted out, i.e. widened, then this hugely exciting plan for the airport's growth won't happen.

"Indeed, we need to put pressure on the Treasury to recognise what this will mean for the region and start signing cheques."