ABTA and the aviation industry have welcomed the government’s decision to grant the third runway at Heathrow.
The controversial announcement concerning the £9 billion expansion, which will also see the building of a sixth terminal, was made this afternoon in the House of Commons by transport secretary Geoff Hoon who justified the decision for economic reasons.
He did concede there were environmental concerns over the project which prompted 50 Labour backbenchers to raise their concern.
Providing it runs to time, the project is expected to be completed by 2019 or 2020 while the government has also pledged a new high-speed rail network from London to Heathrow as well as a high speed network to the north and Scotland to allay environmentalists’ fears.
While the trade has welcomed the decision, it has expressed concern that permission was not granted to give the runways mixed-mode status which allows them to be used for both landing and take off at the same time.
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “Heathrow has received a barrage of criticism over recent years for poor customer service much of which is directly attributable to its operating at near peak capacity.
“A new runway will help address this problem. Currently the skies above Heathrow are often full of aircraft circling in “stacks” waiting for a landing slot to become available. This polluting and fuel inefficient practice will be largely eradicated by the provision of a new runway.
“Any new development must come with strict environmental controls and I am delighted that the Government has factored this in. However, I am disappointed that the use of mixed mode has been rejected as this system can radically improve the flow of aircraft.”
The association also welcomed the new high speed rail link between London and Scotland but added the demand for air travel in the UK is strongest in the South East and its other main airport Gatwick, is also in urgent need of a new runway and infrastructure investment.
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh added: “This is the right decision for jobs and investment in the UK. Heathrow is our national hub airport and Britain cannot succeed in a global economy without the capacity for excellent air links already built by our international competitors.
“The government has imposed additional, tough environmental safeguards on the way the airport will operate and a new system for rigorous enforcement. Heathrow will set new world standards for airport environmental performance.
“We are disappointed at the rejection of mixed-mode, which would have reduced Heathrow’s vulnerability to delays, but very much welcome the proposal of a high-speed rail hub at Heathrow.
“The government has reached a balanced decision in the long-term interests of the whole country. I hope people will respect it. We have had six years of public debate on a third runway.
“This process has also taken very seriously the idea of an alternative hub airport in the Thames Estuary. The judgement has been made that expansion at Heathrow – which will not cost taxpayers a penny – is by far the better course.
“No-one can say the decision on a third runway has been taken hastily or without proper evaluation or research.
“We have not been good at providing new transport infrastructure in this country. Many road and rail projects have been talked about for decades without implementation. This new runway will be the first at a major airport in southern England for more than 70 years.
“Other countries have moved well ahead of Britain in building infrastructure with the capacity to underpin future prosperity. This decision has given the UK the chance to start catching up.
“Let’s put the debate behind us, show common purpose and create the environmentally sustainable, world-class hub airport that people in Britain deserve.”
Bmi deputy chief executive officer Tim Bye said: “We congratulate the Government in making this bold decision. It will ensure that Heathrow maintains its pre-eminent position as one of the world’s leading international hub airports with all of the jobs and commercial benefits that go with it.
“Heathrow is the UK’s gateway to the world, not just London’s, and provides the UK’s only direct connections to a vast number of international destinations.
“If Heathrow’s development was denied it would have a far reaching impact on the whole economy of the UK. However, we fully support and endorse that any expansion must be kept within clear environmental guidelines and limitations.”