A strong hint that a swift decision will be needed after next year’s general election on airport capacity came from Chancellor George Osborne in his speech to the Conservative party conference yesterday.
He reaffirmed the government’s determination to press ahead with the HS2 high speed rail link between London, the Midlands and the North.
And he added that on issues like this, deciding on a future runway for the southeast of England and developing shale gas fracking, Britain faced a choice to “decide or decline”.
The government-appointed Airports Commission is to deliver its final report on where a new runway should be built next summer – following the general election.
Three options have made the commission’s shortlist – a new runway at Heathrow, extending the London’s hub’s northern runway or a second runway at Gatwick.
Osborne’s hint on airport development followed shadow chancellor Ed Balls committing Labour to taking urgent action on airport capacity following the general election.
Airports and industry bodies have been using the party conferences to lobby political support for expansion.