Businesses still pushing for Heathrow third runway
By Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson
"All options" should be considered as the government reconsiders its aviation strategy, business leaders have urged the coalition.
Nearly 70 signatories, including BAA chief executive Colin Matthews and Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, have signed a letter to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper demanding that something should be done to protect £14 billion of at-risk trade.
Transport secretary Justine Greening has made clear the government is prepared to consider all options apart from the construction of a third runway at Heathrow, which opponents had hoped had now been ruled out for good.
Today's letter from small- and medium-sized businesses, which the government considers crucial to economic growth, places pressure on Whitehall to revisit the problem, however.
"There is a huge opportunity for the UK to lead in connectivity to growth markets, but we need a hub solution that has the capacity to compete if we are to seize it," the letter states.
"Constraints at the UK's only international hub airport at Heathrow will see it fall behind France and Germany in the next ten years unless something is done."
It says both Paris and Frankfurt offer over 1,000 more annual flights to China's three biggest cities than Heathrow does, while 21 "emerging market destinations" are reachable by daily flights from other European hubs – but not Heathrow.
"We call on the chancellor and transport secretary to ensure that as it develops its aviation strategy it considers all options, both in terms of regional airports and the UK's hub airport, that could support British businesses in seeking new sources of growth now," the letter added.
Heathrow's third runway was favoured by Labour but plans for the expansion were cancelled by the coalition.
That has frustrated the free enterprise group of Conservative MPs, whose 34 backbenchers backed a rethink of the issue in January.
Ministers remain most likely to approve plans of smaller airports around London to expand. Luton airport submitted plans to expand its passenger numbers by 57% last month, for example.
