No to ‘Boris airport’ – expand Heathrow instead, say MPs
The government should reject the “Boris Island” Thames Estuary airport plan and expand Heathrow instead, according to a new report from MPs.
A new hub airport east of London, favoured by London Mayor Boris Johnson, would be hugely expensive, the report by the Commons transport committee says.
It would also mean the closure of Heathrow in west London and could harm estuary wildlife, according to the report.
Instead, the MPs say that an extra, third runway at Heathrow was necessary, and also suggested that a fourth runway might have merit if the two new runways were located west of the current site.
It comes on the same day as business chiefs call for an increase in flights at Heathrow as a short-term solution “to the UK’s air capacity crisis”.
The leaders, who comprise the London First organisation, also recommend greater noise protection for Heathrow residents, and for Gatwick and Stansted airports to be freed from economic regulation by the Civil Aviation Authority.
New runways ‘not a solution’
The MPs committee said adding new runways to expand other existing airports was not a long-term solution to the hub airport capacity problem, although it urged the operators of Gatwick to develop a robust business case for their vision of a second runway at the West Sussex airport.
The report calls on the government to establish a national scheme to ensure adequate compensation for people affected by noise from expansion at Heathrow.
The MPs would also like to see the government ensuring that HS2 high-speed rail line rail network serves Heathrow.
In addition, they call for a study of how far the air passenger duty (APD) airport departure tax impacts on the UK economy.
The report says that if this study was to provide clear evidence that the tax causes harm to the economy or government revenue, there should be moves to significantly reduce or abolish APD.
‘More intensive’ runway use needed
London First says that, in the absence of any long-term strategy to build new runways, priority must be given to finding ways of increasing flights through more intensive use of existing runways.
It estimates that Heathrow could support 10 per cent more flights while reducing delays, and that Gatwick and Stansted could attract more airlines and passengers if existing price controls were abolished and the quality and capacity of rail services to both were improved.
London First chief executive Baroness Jo Valentine said: “We face fierce global competition from rivals who are increasing their air links to new and established markets.
“In the absence of a long-term plan for new runway capacity to meet that threat, we have no choice but to make the assets we have work more intensively.
“Action is needed now. The commission must recommend how more flights can be introduced where the market wants them.
“We think the cap on flights at Heathrow can be lifted, and residents protected from noise, and Gatwick and Stansted deregulated to let London’s competitive market flourish, extending choice and services.
“Without decisive action and the changes we recommend, the growing economic cost of deferring new runways – already too great – will not be halted.”