Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer has defended the temporary closure the traffic lane immediately outside the airport terminal building amid heightened security following the Manchester Arena terror attack.

He said it reduced the number of public vehicles passing close to the building by 80 per cent.

’Heightened aviation security measures were put forward by the UK Department for Transport, the organisation responsible for setting and maintaining aviation security for landside areas at all airports,’ he added.

’This occurred during the period when the national threat was increased to critical following the terrorist attack in Manchester. A number of heightened security measures were introduced at airports throughout the British Isles, including the Isle of Man.’

’Reducing the number of public vehicles getting access or passing the terminal was the specific aim of some of those enhanced measures.’