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Minister defends plan to replace Isle of Man Airport fence
THE security of the travelling public could be jeopardised by the deteriorating condition of the perimeter fence at Isle of Man Airport — unless it is renewed as a matter of urgency.
Revelations were made about the condition of the fence at Ronaldsway during question time in the House of Keys last week.
Graham Cregeen (Malew and Santon) had queried the need for spending 159,000 on design fees for a new perimeter fence, branding that as 'rather excessive'.
But Transport Minister David Anderson revealed that an inspection carried out at Ronaldsway by the UK Department of Transport in November 2005 had found that 'almost without exception the condition of the perimeter fence is totally unsatisfactory'.
Over the past four years, the fence had declined further, MHKs were told.
Mr Anderson said 'several areas of vulnerability' had been identified as needing work as a 'matter of urgency' if the airport was to continue to offer an 'acceptable level of protection to the travelling public'.
And he reminded members the threat of terrorist attack remained 'highly likely'.
Mr Cregeen insisted 159,000 was 'rather excessive for a fence' given news this week that climate change protestors had broken through the security fence at Aberdeen airport.
'Does he not think it's worthless?' he asked.
Mr Anderson replied that they should not wait for a major incident to take place to get the work done.
Peter Karran (Lib Vannin, Onchan) said the fence would be 'little use if someone got their wirecutters out'.
He added: 'Your civil servants are trying to give us a Rolls Royce solution when we are cutting back on social services.'
'I don't believe it's a Rolls Royce solution,' the minister replied.
'It's quite clear you have to conform to the standards laid down by the UK. It's not just a physical barrier — you have to have surveillance as well. Security is a big issue these days.'
He said the 159,000 was earmarked as a percentage of the overall cost and the final figure could be 'very much less'.
Replying to a separate question from Mr Cregeen, the Transport Minister said the airport currently employed 13 aviation security officers and four airport duty officers to cover 24 hours, 365 days a year.
During operational hours, a supervisor and three aviation security officers were on duty and there were two aviation security officers on duty throughout the night when the airport was closed.
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YOUR COMMENTS
Anyone intent on doing real damage to the airport operations would find the perimeter fence no deterent. Acess seems easily available from several weakpoints that a potential terrorist,thief,vandal etc could enter without being challenged. A series of non announced security tests should be implemented to see just how far someone could get to sensitive areas ? Also to see if people can get in and out unseen and leaving calling cards to where they have been! Imagine someone getting into where fuel is stored or aircraft parked up or electronic cables visible. We have all seen what happens in the fictional Die Hard movies where terrorists posing as security and army staff take down an airports operation.
VANCE VIGILANT
Granted that you can hop over the fence in a number of locations, granted that it does need replacing, granted also that climate protestors could storm the facility in swathes of thousands whilst it's bombed to oblivion by terrorist's hell bent on teaching the Isle of Man a lesson in international politics. The airport should be surrounded by an eight foot electrified palisade fence complete with razor wire and watch towers and a fifty foot no mans land to another fence with more razor wire, CCTV, armed guards on perimeter with dogs 24/7. It's never happened before but rest assured that it will happen soon (Mainly because we'll pay someone to do it so we can say we were right and you were wrong). Alternatively we could build a fence, just a fence, no CCTV recording bunny rabbits for a year for a BBC documentary, just a fence – a nice fence with a shrubbery.
ANON
You're absolutely right Vance Vigilant, we are definitely facing a Die Hard Situation……… If the most bored unhinged criminal mastermind ever fancied creating a bit of a stir then the Isle of Man would be just the place wouldn't it. Mind you their snowmobiles wouldn't be much use for a getaway across King Bills rugby pitches. Get a grip, please. I agree with Anon. Bring on the shrubbery.
CATTY
In the 'Fencegate' affair we see yet again another highly paid MHK missing the point; it was a shame that Mr Anderson did not just confess that the budget figure for designing the new fence was a mistake and it will take nowhere near the 159k earmarked just for the design. Even if we take a nought of the estimate and it costs 16k to design a fence to go around the airport perimeter; many people will think it far too expensive and just another way of providing consultants with the means to pay for their Spanish villas. Consequently, the outcry to the 159k budgeted figure should not have been a surprise. If the budget for the design is 159k, what will the final bill be for the completion of such a high security facility. On that note, and bearing in mind that it will be the travelling public who pays the bill and because of the excessive landing fees placed on the airlines, this fence will only further contribute to trapping ordinary residence in the IOM and making it more expensive to travel. Are we trying to keep terrorists out or keep our people in? Come on Mr Anderson; just say that someone made a mistake….still holding my breath…
GG
The cost could rise even more if PROWL decide they'd like to walk there.
GB
'It's quite clear you have to conform to the standards laid down by the UK." "an inspection carried out at Ronaldsway by the UK Department of Transport in November 2005" Are we the Isle Of Man or a region of the UK? Judging by these two quotes above the latter seems to be getting ever closer. Why do we continue to be told by the UK what we must be doing? If the Isle Of Man needed a new high security fence and the UK insisted we had it, surely the Island would have been forced to have one since 2005. I think the Island needs a government that can govern without the constant conforming to the UK standards which have been shown recently to be totally inept in many ways. Independence needed? Roll on the revolution.
MIE GUILLEY
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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