Only a week since coming to power, the new Government was today warned in a statement signed by business leaders that if they fail to act decisively on the final recommendation of the Airports Commission, which will imminently recommend expanding Gatwick or Heathrow, they risk Britain’s global competitiveness and future growth.
The statement was issued by the pro-expansion campaign group Let Britain Fly. Signatories include a large number of business leaders from Britain’s top firms including many from the FTSE 100; alongside the heads of business organisations including the British Chambers of Commerce, IOD, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and London First.
Gavin Hayes, Director of Let Britain Fly said: “The new Government should use its fresh mandate and make a bold and early decision to build a new runway. With all of London’s airports forecast to be full by 2030, kicking the can down the road is no longer an option.
“This will be one of the first big issues that will test whether the Government is capable of making strategic decisions in the national interest.
“The Conservatives pledged in their manifesto they would ‘respond to the Airports Commission’s Final Report’, to maintain the trust and confidence of the business community it’s essential that response is both positive and timely.
“After almost three years of debating the issue in a Commission decision-day is fast approaching.”
The statement reads: “One of the most urgent infrastructure priorities for the new Government is the decision to expand airport capacity.
“Expanding our international connectivity is fundamental to ensuring Britain remains open for business and would give a much-needed boost to trade, tourism, investment and economic growth right across the country. By value forty per cent of our exports go by air; we trade up to twenty times more with countries we have a direct air link to.
“With Heathrow already full, Gatwick full by 2020 and most of London’s other airports full by 2030, the demand for expansion is self-evident.
“As people who run some of Britain’s leading businesses, it concerns us that other countries plan on building over fifty new runways between now and 2036. China alone will build seventeen. Whilst in this country we haven’t built a new full-length runway in the South East since 1945.
“Decades of inaction mean we are falling behind our competitors. Paris has 50% more flights to China. Whilst Dubai International recently overtook Heathrow as the world’s busiest airport.
“This is why when the Airports Commission publishes its Final Report, we urge the new Government to make an early decision on airport expansion and end over half a century of political procrastination.”
Signatories include the following:
Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive, Aberdeen Asset Management
Dr Eamonn Butler, Director, Adam Smith Institute
Richard Robinson, Chief Executive, Civil Infrastructure EMEA India, AECOM
David Partridge, Managing Partner, Argent LLP
Surinder Arora, Founder/CEO, Arora Holdings
George Weston, Chief Executive Officer, Associated British Foods
Heather Lishman, Association Manager, Association of British Professional Conference Organisers
Nick Roberts, Chief Executive Officer UK and Europe, Atkins
Bill Munro, Chairman, Barrhead Travel
Harold Paisner, Senior Partner, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
Bob Rothenberg MBE, Senior Partner, Blick Rothenberg LLP
Dale Keller, Chief Executive, Board of Airline Representatives in the UK
Jim McAuslan, General Secretary, British Airline Pilots' Association
John Longworth, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce
Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association
Chris Grigg, Chief Executive, British Land
Jeffries Briginshaw, CEO, BritishAmerican Business British American Business Council
Sir Mike Rake, Chairman, BT Group
Michael Hirst OBE, Chairman, Business Visits and Events Partnership
Hugh Seaborn, Chief Executive, Cadogan
John Syvret, Chief Executive Officer, Cammell Laird Group
Sir George Iacobescu CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive, Canary Wharf Group
Richard Howson, Chief Executive, Carillion
Stephen Hubbard, Chairman - UK EMEA, CBRE
Tim Knox, Director, Centre for Policy Studies
James Rowntree, Managing Director, Transportation, CH2M HILL
Stephen Phillips, Chief Executive, China-Britain Business Council
Iain Anderson, Co-Founder and Chief Corporate Counsel, Cicero Group
Mark Boleat, Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Corporation
Professor Paul Curran, Vice-Chancellor, City University London
Des Gunewardena, Chairman CEO, D D London
Angus Knowles-Cutler, London Senior Partner, Deloitte
John Burns, Chief Executive, Derwent London
Rick Butterworth, Managing Director, Diamond Recruitment Group
Mathew Riley, Managing Director, Infrastructure Environment, EC Harris
Chris Rumfitt, Chief Executive, Corporate Reputation Consulting
Inderneel Singh, Group Corporate Development Manager, Edwardian Group London
Olaf Swantee, Managing Director, EE
Terry Scuoler, CEO, EEF
Kevin Murphy, Chairman, ExCeL London
David Wells, Chief Executive, Freight Transport Association
Sue Brown, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Jeremy Taylor, Chief Executive, Gatwick Diamond Business
David Cliff, Managing Director, Gedanken
Hugh Bullock, Senior Partner, Gerald Eve LLP
Mike Turner CBE, Chairman, GKN PLC Babcock International Group
Gordon Clark, Country Manager, Global Blue
Andrew Cunningham, Chief Executive, Grainger
Toby Courtauld, Chief Executive, Great Portland Estates
Mark Preston, Chairman and Non-Executive Director, Grosvenor
Paul Wait, Chairman, Guild of Travel Management Companies
Rob Bould, Chief Executive, GVA
Michael Ward, Managing Director, Harrods
Brian L Dunsby, Chief Executive, Harrogate Chamber of Trade Commerce
Mr Andrew Formica, Chief Executive, Henderson Group
Nicholas Cheffings, Chair, Hogan Lovells
Nicola Shaw, Chief Executive Officer, HS1 Limited
Michael Spencer, CEO, ICAP
John Lehal, Managing Director, Insight Public Affairs
Simon Walker, Director General, Institute of Directors
Richard Solomans, Chief Executive, InterContinental Hotels Group
Andrew Murphy, Retail Director, John Lewis Partnership
George Kessler CBE, Group Deputy Chairman, Kesslers International
Simon Collins, UK Chairman Senior Partner, KPMG
Robert Noel, Chief Executive, Land Securities Group
John Stewart, Chairman, Legal General Group
Gavin Hayes, Director, Let Britain Fly
Jenny Stewart, Chief Executive, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Robert Hough, Chair, Liverpool City Region LEP
Colin Stanbridge, Chief Executive, London Chamber of Commerce
Jo Valentine, CEO, London First
John Allan CBE, Chairman, London First
Mark Reynolds, Chief Executive, Mace Group
Yoshiki Yamada, Director, CHRO CCO, Mitsui Co. Europe Plc
Richard Dickinson, Chief Executive, New West End Company
James Rook, Managing Director, Nimlok
James Ramsbotham, Chief Executive, North East Chamber of Commerce
Ann McGregor MBE, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Adrian Shooter CBE, Chairman, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Jonathan Fletcher, Director, PG Legal
Richard Foley, Senior Partner, Pinsent Masons
Mark Bensted OBE, Managing Director, Powerday
John Rhodes, Director, Quod
Mr Mark Lancaster, Chairman, SDL
David Sleath, Chief Executive, SEGRO
Paul Kelly, Managing Director, Selfridges Group
Juergen Maier, Chief Executive, Siemens
David McAlpine, Partner, Sir Robert McAlpine
Sue Rimmer OBE, Principal and Chief Executive, South Thames College
Willie Stewart, Director, Stewart Travel
John Sutcliffe, Managing Director, Sutcliffe
Tim Hancock, Managing Director, Terence O'Rourke
Victor Chavez, Chief Executive Officer, Thales UK
Rebecca Kane, General Manager, The O2
Bill Moore, Chief Executive, The Portman Estate
Ric Lewis, Chief Executive, Tristan Capital Partners
Vincent Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Turner Townsend
Professor Michael Arthur, President and Provost, UCL
Basil Scarsella, Chief Executive Officer, UK Power Networks
Frank Wingate, Chief Executive, West London Business
Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive Officer, WPP