Airporter makes £1 million investment in a purpose-built facility and hub as the company expands
Derry/Londonderry based Airporter, which operates 30 journeys a day to Belfast International and Belfast City Airport from the north west of Ireland, has invested £1m in a purpose-built facility and hub.
The 14,000 square foot hub on a 2.5 acre site has transformed the former Lough Swilly bus company depot on the Springtown Industrial Estate. Facilities include on-site servicing, fuelling, new driver training and rest areas.
Founded in 1996, Airporter employs 30 drivers with a fleet strength that now stands at 21 vehicles, and carried around 155,000 passengers last year.
The announcement comes amidst a backdrop of concerns around the potential risks of Brexit and the lack of investment in infrastructure in the north west, but there has also been reason for optimism after work on the A6 between Dungiven and Derry/Londonderry began, which should see travel time reduced once complete.
Jennifer McKeever, Director of Airporter, said: “This investment represents a real statement of intent for us at Airporter. Our expansion reflects our success and the growth in the number of passengers so far.
“We now have a purpose-built facility fitted out to provide our team with a working environment which reflects the volume of business we do. This shows that as a company we’re always looking towards the future, we’re always looking to do better.
“The investment in the site will allow Airporter to deal with anticipated future growth in demand, but also represents a considerable investment in human resources from a company that already puts a strong emphasis on employee training.
“It’s also entirely necessary because demand keeps growing and that’s only going to continue. Last year was a record year for tourism in Northern Ireland and more and more people are coming to explore the north west.
“The recent work that has started on the A6 will only make it easier for people to travel to and from the north west and the two main airports in Belfast. We expect that more and more people will use the service as the travel time will reduce even further once complete.”
