London congestion 'sending passengers to regional hubs'

Regional hubs such as Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport are seeing substantial growth, partly as a result of rising congestion in London, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Recent research by the group found that 42 per cent of all UK passengers travelled through airports outside London in 2006.

The study also discovered that annual passenger numbers at Britain's regional airports have exceeded 100 million for the first time.

Chris Mason, a spokesperson for the CAA, said that these local hubs have "taken up the demand" for flights that cannot be met at airports in the capital.

"One of the main factors is that the London airports are becoming increasingly busy and as a result of that, more services are being offered from the regional airports, which were normally only available in the past from the London airports," he explained.

Mr Mason also underlined the value of the expansion that is taking place at many airports around the UK, with many people now benefiting from the potential to fly to a range of destinations without having to travel too far to catch their flight.

"If you're living in the north of England, you're now able to travel to a much wider range of international destinations than even a few years ago," the CAA spokesperson said.