Brexit delay to Scottish spaceport plan
PROPOSALS to develop the UK’s first commercial spaceports based in Scotland have been delayed by Brexit. In last year’s Queen’s Speech the UK Government announced that it would bring forward a bill to enable spaceport development.
Two Scottish sites – Prestwick airport and Machrihanish – unveiled plans to bid for the spaceport licences.
However, the Government says there is currently no timetable for the introduction of the bill.
The UK Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for the Modern Transport Bill, which would set regulations for driverless cars as well as allowing UK aerodromes to access space.
However, it has now said parliamentary time had been limited by events such as Brexit and the discussions over triggering Article 50.
A spokeswoman for the DfT said: “The final date for the introduction of the Modern Transport Bill will be announced in due course. We are creating the legislative and regulatory framework to allow the development of spaceports. It will be for the market to decide where the first spaceport will be established.”