Britain needs a new runway more than ever, says Sir Howard
Extra runway capacity in the southeast of England is even more important following the UK’s decision to exit the European Union, said the man who chaired the government’s Airports Commission.
Sir Howard Davies, now the chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said that if Britain wanted to increase trade with developing countries like China and India, it would need extra airport capacity.
He told the Evening Standard: "If you say your strategy is to be a global trading nation reaching out to China and India, but actually you aren’t prepared to provide any airport capacity for people to land here, then that’s a joke."
He told the government a year ago that the best place for an additional runway was Heathrow, but concerns about noise, pollution and congestion in west London prompted the government to order further investigations instead.
On Thursday, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said a decision would be further delayed until ‘at least October’ when a new Prime Minister is in Number 10.
Sir Howard added: "Internationally there’s a risk that the Brexit decision is seen as a kind of inward-looking choice. It’s crucial, I think, that we try as a country to offset that – and here is a good way of doing that.
"So I think it has much more significance now that it had before."
Urging David Cameron’s successor to "be bold" he said the country’s governance would look ‘threadbare’ and ‘daft ‘f there was further indecision.
He also revealed that he did not think Tory frontrunner Theresa May was strongly opposed to Heathrow expansion, contrary to the view of some MPs.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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