AIRPORT officials today launched a project to get the public's views on improvements needed to the rail network if Stansted gets its second runway.The airport would then handle 68 million passengers a year.

AIRPORT officials today launched a project to get the public's views on improvements needed to the rail network if Stansted gets its second runway.

The airport would then handle 68 million passengers a year.

At present the airport can take around 25m passengers and a public inquiry is currently taking place into whether another ten million can be added on a further 23,000 flights.

Plans for the second runway - known as Generation 2 - are set to be submitted later this year with the aim to open it in 2015.

It will increase the number of passengers a year to 68m, adding 260,000 flights a year - many of which are likely to go over Suffolk as highlighted by the Evening Star's Air Fair campaign, which is focussing on the continued growth of air traffic over the county.

BAA Stansted says 40 per cent of passengers already use public transport to get to and from the airport but it wants to improve rail connections so even more will do so in future.

It has drawn up a number of schemes to provide for longer and additional trains, including extra tracks and platforms, and will be putting the ideas to meetings with residents over the next fortnight. People have until July 31 to comment.

Alastair McDermid, BAA director of Stansted Generation 2, said: “When we launched the consultation on the airport's Surface Access Strategy (SAS) earlier this year, I said we wanted to share as much information with the public as soon as possible.

“I also promised we would share further details of the rail schemes to serve a two-runway airport as soon as we were able to do so.

“Today we can begin sharing more information on our rail proposals that will supplement the details we made available during the SAS consultation.

“Stansted is already the UK's leading airport for public transport use by passengers. To maintain and build on this position we fully acknowledge that access to the airport, both by road and rail, is an important element of our plans for a second runway.”

The second runway will be 3,048 metres long, and have about 42 aircraft stands, and a new passenger terminal building.

Are you worried that expanding Stansted will mean more planes over Suffolk? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk