Funded Projects 2014-2020

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Project SPARA2020

Project Acronym SPARA2020
Project Title Smart Peripheral and Remote Airports 2020
Project subsite
Project Website

Summary

The EU Cohesion goal calls in particular for an improvement to the framework conditions for peripheral regions. Better accessibility and the sustainability of this access remains one of the central means of moving towards this goal. This project aims to address this by focusing on the unique challenge of air access to remote and sparsely populated areas in the NPA Region. These areas depend on their peripheral airports to play a vital social and economic development role and support local communities and employers’ needs for investment, purchasing power, tourism and welfare. This project will deliver increased innovation within public service provision of these airports which are supported directly and indirectly by local, regional and national governments.

Objectives

The objective of the project is to increase and develop resource efficiency at public service northerly airports.

Impacts

Tangible

Reduced energy consumption:

Electric taxis started operating from Inverness Airport for the first time due to work conducted through SPARA2020. The low carbon strategies can be applied to other remote airports looking to offset carbon emissions of airports. The biofuels report also addressed ways in which remote airports can benefit from reduced fossil carbon emissions by introducing alternative fuels for aircraft.
Business development:

The non-aeronautical audits have contributed by advising airport management on ways to diversify revenues by introducing new services at remote airports, and using innovation to make improvements. These reports have helped sustain 4 airports in particular through the audits and associated business development learning from staff.

Intangible

Improving social cohesion:

Keeping remote airports open significantly improves social cohesion and access to vital services. The project produced an Airport Strategy for engagement with stakeholders and public to provide context in which rural airports carry the social and cultural importance in these remote areas. The strategy could also shift attitudes and behaviours of airport management on the wider impact and uses of their remote airport for instance as community hubs.

Lead Partner

Partners

Project Info

Theme
Transport, logistics, infrastructure
Priority
1 Innovation
Objective
1.2 Increased innovation in public service provision
Project duration
31-05-15 to 30-05-18
Total budget
2 436 596 EUR
NPA co-financing
1 559 592 EUR
Target groups
local public authority
regional public authority
enterprise, including SME
Joint Secretariat Desk Officer
Kirsti Mijnhijmer