Can Eddie Stobart conquer the skies?

by Paul Costello
BBC News

Stobart Air took ownership of Carlisle Airport in 2006

The famous green and red colours of the Eddie Stobart lorry fleet could soon be taking to the skies.

There are ambitious plans to develop Carlisle Airport for commercial and freight flights by 2009.

And the Stobart brand, best known for its haulage trucks, could soon be seen by passengers flying to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Dublin.

Stobart Air, part of parent company WA Developments, believes it can tap into the lucrative business traveller market, as well as offering tourists a fast route to the Lake District, Hadrian's Wall and the border areas.

There is a big attraction for people to fly under the banner of Stobart Air, as Eddie Stobart is an iconic company Airport director Richard Gordon

In terms of freight, the firm says there is potential to use the airport's road links to Scotland and the north-east of England to establishing a "niche" operation, possibly supplying supermarkets.

Stobart Air took over ownership of the airport last year and submitted its £25m expansion plan to Carlisle City Council earlier this month.

It wants to build a new runway, passenger and air freight terminals, control tower, hangars and warehouses.

'Iconic company'

The scheme also includes moving the Eddie Stobart headquarters and WA Developments to the site.

Richard Gordon, airport director for Stobart Air, said preliminary discussions had been held with flight operators.

Stobart recently upgraded its fleet of trucks

"It is very early days but we have been talking to commercial airlines about operating services from Carlisle, if the planning application is approved.

"It may be the case that we team up with an airline for some sort of joint venture.

"There is a big attraction for people to fly under the banner of Stobart Air, as Eddie Stobart is an iconic company.

"If we did go down that line the planes would fly under the famous green and red livery."

He predicted that the airport could be used by up to 180,000 passengers per year by 2014.

Local concerns

A twice daily passenger service to either Stansted or Luton airports had been identified as the key route for the company.

Surveys had also established Paris, Amsterdam and Dublin as other potential routes.

The small scale air freight operation outlined in the proposals was unlikely to lead to a cut in the haulage firm's 800 trucks.

People living near Carlisle airport are being invited to an open meeting at Newtown Village Hall on Thursday night about the expansion plans.

Plans include building a new runway

Concerns about the impact of the scheme on nearby villages have been raised by residents.

Eddie Stobart joined his father's agricultural contracting business in the 1960s and, over the next 30 years, built the firm into the UK's largest privately-owned haulage company.

In November 2003, the company was taken over by railway infrastructure company WA Developments. The haulage firm then merged with Westbury Property Fund Limited to form the Stobart Group, which is now listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Eddie Stobart stepped down as chief executive of the company, to be replaced by another Stobart - his brother William, who had been operations director before joining WA.

William's co-partner at WA, Andrew Tinkler, joined the haulier as chief executive.

The firm, which began operating a rail freight service last year, runs a lucrative fan club with a range of toys and T-shirts. There is even an animated TV series featuring Steady Eddie.