BOSSES at Manchester Airport are planning to build nearly 2,000 extra car parking spaces to cope with an increase in the number of passengers.

They want to build enough space for 1,800 more cars near the airport because the present car parks are reaching capacity.

If given the go-ahead, it will be the first car park to be built since 1996, when one was set up for staff.

The current airport car parks are always packed and travellers struggle to find long-stay spaces, particularly for terminals one and three, forcing them to risk being clamped by parking on the pavement despite warnings.

Around 21 million passengers now use the airport every year, compared with just 14.4 million in 1996, and there are now 19,000 members of staff.

The growth is partly due to the second runway expansion in 2001, coupled with an explosion of budget airlines using the airport over the past two years.

There are now 8,000 long-stay car parking spaces, 4,350 short-stay spaces and 4,000 staff spaces.

The proposal is now being considered by planning chiefs at Manchester City Council.

An airport spokesman said: "We continue to encourage people to use public transport, but this new car park would help us to meet future passenger demand."

are aware of the continued demand for private car journeys.