London mayor Boris Johnson met Gatwick bosses to discuss aviation expansion shortly after the Airports Commission ruled against his Thames estuary airport plan, according to a report.
The mayor held his first meeting with senior representatives from Gatwick on October 9 and discussed its role as London’s second busiest gateway to the world, the London Evening Standard said.
The talks will fuel speculation that Johnson could support a second runway for Gatwick as an interim measure rather than a third runway at Heathrow.
Johnson’s officials stressed that he was not giving up on his battle for a four-runway hub airport in the Thames estuary area, despite it being rejected by the Airports Commission in September.
Asked about his meeting with Gatwick, Johnson said: “Aviation connectivity is crucial to London’s success as a world city and as a global centre of commerce and industry, and Gatwick plays a vital part in providing that connectivity.
“I look forward to the day that we open the UK’s new four-runway hub airport on the eastern side of London, but while we progress towards that goal I am keen to work with the existing major airports in the south-east to ensure the capital enjoys the best possible connections to the rest of the country and the world.”
The meeting was attended by Gatwick chairman Sir Roy McNulty and chief executive Stewart Wingate.
The mayor has no immediate plans to meet representatives of Heathrow.
A Gatwick spokesman said: “Clearly, the mayor has his own views which we respect. We set out Gatwick’s plans for a second runway.”
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith called on the Liberal Democrats to firmly rule out Heathrow expansion in any future coalition.
“West London Lib-Dems claim to be the only party opposed to expansion, but the Lib-Dems nationally have categorically refused to rule it out as part of a coalition, which doesn’t inspire any confidence at all,” he said.
The Liberal Democrat conference voted against any new runways in the region, against the advice of the leadership.
Some Liberal Democrats, including business secretary Vince Cable, are thought to be sympathetic to Gatwick’s case for expansion, the newspaper reported.