London Stansted Airport record total of 24.3 million making Stansted the fourth busiest airport in the United Kingdom. Stansted also is a major freight airport, the third busiest in the UK during 2016, behind London Heathrow and East Midlands Airport, handling in excess of 223,203 tonnes per annum, although freight throughput has declined slightly from its 2005 peak level. Passenger numbers for the year to September 2016 increased by 8.4% to over 24 million for the first time since 2007. The Stansted Airport Transit System connects the terminal to the satellite buildings via a free automated people mover service which runs on dual
London Stansted Airport Villagelink services 5 and 7 connect to many of the nearby villages. Journeys are free of charge within the vicinity of the airport, by reason of a green travel plan instituted by the BAA to reduce staff demands for parking space. Stansted is also the start of the X30 and X10 coach services to Southend-on-Sea and Basildon via Chelmsford and London Southend Airport respectively, operated by First Essex, this route runs hourly 24 hours a day. Stansted is connected to northeast London and Cambridge by the M11 motorway and to Braintree, Colchester and Harwich by the A120, which is dual-carriageway