Business leaders and unions back Heathrow third runway
Sunday, 12 Jan, 2009
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Business leaders and trade unions are collectively supporting a third runway at Heathrow in advertisements in the national press today.
The adverts say that building a new runway at the congested London hub is vital for jobs, economic growth, investment and the long-term competitiveness of the UK’s economy.
The current difficult economic conditions only underscore the need to take decisions now that will help safeguard the UK’s economic future, they claim.
The high-profile campaign comes as the government is poised to announce a decision on development of the third runway, possibly as early as Wednesday.
Heathrow owner BAA is braced for a series of protests by environmental groups as early as tonight if the green light is given to expand the airport.
Backers of the new runway, which would increase capacity from 480,000 flights a year to 700,000, claim that only a major international hub airport like Heathrow can provide the direct flights that the UK needs to important long haul business destinations like China and India – the world’s fastest growing major economies.
While other countries are investing in their airport infrastructure, Heathrow is full with its two runways operating at 99% capacity, they argue.
Heathrow’s European competitors will have four runways or more.
A third runway at Heathrow can only go ahead if strict environmental limits can be met.
To ensure public confidence, BAA has requested that the government appoint an independent assessor to make sure that the environmental limits are being adhered to, if not, then the number of flights in and out of Heathrow will be limited.
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: “A third runway will only go ahead if strict environmental limits are met.
“We are confident that they will be and have requested that the Government appoint an independent assessor to ensure that the environmental limits will be adhered to.”
British Airways CEO Willie Walsh said:“A third runway would be fantastic news for jobs and investment in Britain. The rest of Europe has already built extra capacity at its hub airports and will be ready to benefit when the economic recovery comes. Britain cannot afford to slip further behind.”
Bmi, Heathrow’s second biggest airline after BA, warned that without expansion and much improved transport links the airport and the whole UK aviation sector will decline with the threat of the loss of thousands of jobs throughout the industry and beyond.
The lack of expansion would also have an untold impact upon the UK’s regional economies and those employed in them, the airline claimed.
Bmi deputy chief executive Tim Bye said: “Heathrow is bursting at the seams and has been for many years.
“If we seriously want Heathrow to maintain its pre-eminent position and international status as well as its competitive edge it needs improvement, expansion and better transport links.
“If this does not happen, passengers, cargo and associated trade will, without hesitation, turn to the expanding airports in Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
“The outcome of this would be that the airport and industry would decline and many jobs would be lost.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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