We were pleased to recently welcome our local MP -the Rt Hon Priti Patel MP - and her Chief of Staff to Colvanbridge Limited and to have opportunity to discuss trade and logistics , also providing a guided tour of our Warehousing facilities and to see firsthand the range of services we provide for our client base.
Main subject matters discussed :
Business Growth
Areas of Business which SME’s are growing fastest in our area.
Colvanbridge targets and expansion plans current and over next 2 – 5 years.
Business Challenges
Getting to speak face to face to potential and existing Clients and other Business leaders – more logistics networking events needed in this area .
Slow growth and rising costs to Businesses and its effect on business confidence within many sectors in the UK.
Armed conflicts and the effect and potential effects to Freight costs and in supply chain delays and costs.
Staffing costs and challenges.
the Employment Rights Bill
The new Bill is currently in Committee Stage in the Lords. What is the projected timeline in regards the Bill ?
Introduced: October 2024
Royal Assent expected: Late 2025
Main reforms in force: Throughout 2026 (via secondary legislation and consultations)
Stansted Airport development :
Despite planned huge investment we have not heard much in respect to any Freight expansion through Stansted Airport within such investment . Is any part of the recent investment set aside for Freight service expansion ?
Stansted is undergoing a £1.1–£1.2 billion investment programme,
Included is a three-bay terminal extension, enlarged security hall, new baggage carousels, more shops/restaurants, and improved check-in and transit facilities.
Work began in 2025 and is expected to take 2–3 years.
Completion planned for 2027–28— increasing capacity to handle up to 43 million passengers/year, compared to about 29–30 million in 2024.
Looking further ahead, Stansted seeks permission to raise the annual passenger cap to 51 million by 2040, leveraging larger aircraft without increasing the capped flight movements (274,000), or building a new runway.
Freight Development - While the expansion is clearly passenger-focused, freight stakeholders like Logistics UK have expressed disappointment that the plans lack targeted investment for cargo. They view this as a "missed opportunity," emphasising that air freight—vital for the UK's “just-in-time” supply chains—has not been prioritised. Nevertheless, freight operations remain significant at Stansted, included in around the top three UK freight airports, handling over 223,000 tonnes pre-pandemic.
Currently, passenger travel is clearly driving the expansion.
any cargo enhancements are expected to come later—or via separate initiatives—if Logistics UK influences planning during consultation phases.
Freight capacity is not being expanded in this round.
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