Maes Awyr Caerdydd

7 May 2022

Dear

Request for Information – ATISN 16211

I wrote to you on 31 March regarding your request for information. 

Information requested

You asked for the following information in each of the last 3 financial years in relation to Cardiff Airport (2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022):

1. The total amount of Welsh Government funding to support Cardiff Airport.
2. The costs of any employees at the airport funded by WG.
3. Any infrastructure costs (e.g. roads and car parking).
4. Any payments in support of public transport to the airport.
5. Any payments in support of the airport and its expansion.

Our response

I confirm we hold some information caught by your request. I have concluded, however, that some of the information is exempt from disclosure under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, information otherwise available. 

1. This information can be accessed via - Evidence paper from Welsh Government regarding Cardiff Airport 
2. This information can be accessed via - CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED
3. No Welsh Government funding has been awarded to support Cardiff Airport in respect of public infrastructure costs. However the airport may have invested its own funding into roads and car parking within its own business boundary. Which would be captured in response to your second question.  
4. The Welsh Government withdrew the main Cardiff Airport to Cardiff city centre express bus (T9 service) in March 2020 at the onset of the Covid pandemic and this service remains suspended. The T9 was contracted on our behalf by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and cost us in the region of £557,000 per year in revenue grant support.

The Rhoose Station to Cardiff Airport shuttle bus service 905 is currently fully funded by the Welsh Government and contracted on our behalf by the Vale of Glamorgan Council using their powers under Section 63 of Transport Act 1985. The contract cost us in the region of £141,207 per year.

• 2019/20 we provided revenue support grant funding to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to contract the 905 Rhoose Station to Cardiff Airport Shuttle and the T9 Cardiff Airport Express bus service at a combined total cost of £821,760.
• 2020/21 we provided revenue support grant funding to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to contract the 905 Rhoose Station to Cardiff Airport Shuttle at a cost of £125,000; and
• 2021/22 we provided revenue support grant funding to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to contract the 905 Rhoose Station to Cardiff Airport Shuttle at a cost of £125,000.
• The T9 service was suspended in March 2020, and the contract was re purposed to provide the T7 Chepstow to Bristol service during financial year 2020/21 at a value of £655,268.

5. Any payments in support of the airport and its expansion are captured in response to your first question.

Please note that further details about the Welsh Government’s investment in Cardiff Airport are set out in an evidence paper to the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee: Evidence Paper in advance of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee Scrutiny Session – 3.11.21.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response.  Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales.  Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.   

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely