Uttlesford District Council has recently launched a website dedicated to
Stansted Airport and early visitor statistics imply that it has been a very
worthwhile initiative.
Uttlesford District Council’s new Stansted-dedicated website has met a warm
welcome, according to an analysis of early statistics on visitor numbers
and behaviour. Although it has only been live for less than two weeks, the
new site has attracted a level of usage and repeat visits which suggest
that it will play a valuable role in helping interested parties to stay
informed on progress and express their own views.

The new site (www.stanstedexplained.info) is part of a Council initiative
to ensure transparency on all Stansted-related issues, and has been
designed to make it easier for people to keep in touch with developments
and to make their own views known to the Council.

During the series of special public meetings on Stansted, held 3-7 July,
the Council provided innovative webcasting which was transmitted live over
the Internet, allowing anyone with access to the Web to watch proceedings
from anywhere in the world.

Cllr Alan Dean, Chairman of the Airport Policy Task Group, and Cllr Jim
Ketteridge, Leader of the Conservative Group on the Council, were both
interviewed about the webcasts for LGA TV during the Local Government
Association Conference in Bournemouth, which coincided with the week of
special public meetings.

Early signs are that the website is a very welcome step in helping the
public engage with Stansted related issues. In the ten days since its
launch, the site has recorded over 2,500 visitor sessions, spread over 500
different users. This means that users have returned, on average,
approximately five times each, implying an interest which goes beyond the
merely curious. The webcast was particularly popular during 3-7 July with
579 visitors over the period, giving an average of 116 each day. 

“We’re really pleased with the positive response we’ve had to the webcasts
and the new Stansted dedicated website” commented Alasdair Bovaird, Chief
Executive of Uttlesford District Council, “The Council wanted to increase
transparency and ensure as many opportunities as possible for community
engagement.  The site, and the webcasts in particular, are a welcome step
towards that”.     
——-