Government urged to give green-light to new runway
Let Britain Fly backs Airports Commission recommendation to build a new runway at Heathrow and urges Government to hit the ground running and deliver early decision.
In response to the Airports Commission’s Final Report the airport expansion group Let Britain Fly has called on UK political leaders to back the Airports Commission’s view that the Government should give the green-light to a new runway at Heathrow.
Gavin Hayes Director of Let Britain Fly said: “After the best part of three years rigorously examining all of the evidence the view of the Airports Commission is that Britain needs a new runway and that the best option is to expand Heathrow. It’s now time for the Government to hit the ground running and quickly give the greenlight to airport expansion.
With Heathrow, our only international hub airport, already full for a decade and all of London’s other airports forecast to be full within the next ten years, there is no alternative but to now get on with it. As this report shows there’s no runway left for the can to be kicked along.
First and foremost it’s now time UK political leaders put the long-term national interest, over short-term political needs.
It’s obvious from the Commission’s Final Report that an expanded Heathrow was the clear winner in terms of jobs and growth with up to £147bn in economic benefit and 70,000 new jobs. Britain’s only international hub airport is also better placed to boost the UK’s connectivity with key growth markets such as Brazil and China.
We also support the Commission’s view that the Government should establish an independent Aircraft Noise Authority to help address the concerns of local people.
Whilst the Government will now want time to properly consider the findings of the Final Report it should use this opportunity to immediately back the view of the Commission that a new runway is required, setting out a clear direction of travel towards a final decision.
This should then be followed within six months by a statement that sets out a clear timetable for building the new runway. The Government should also commit to an early Parliamentary decision to take place by summer 2016 at the latest.”
