IoD wants new Heathrow runway, Johnson looks to Stansted
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The Institute of Directors (IoD) has encouraged expansion at Heathrow Airport to help with capacity problems in the south east, as Boris Johnson looked to Stansted in his wish to develop an east hub.
In a report released today the IoD said one or two runways are needed at Heathrow and a second should be added at Gatwick to cope with the increase in air traffic demand by 2030.
In a survey of its members 63% think direct flights to emerging destinations will be important to business in the next 10 years, although London’s airports can currently only carry 181 million passengers currently compared to its potential to handle 372 million. Its short term solutions including freeing up operations at Heathrow; deregulating landing charges at Stansted and Gatwick and to promote airports outside the south east.
It also called for Air Passenger Duty to be offset against the Emissions Trading Scheme and backed calls for an analysis into their impact on the economy.
“We cannot afford to ignore the reality that demand for air travel in the South East will soon be more than our airports can handle,” said Corin Taylor, senior economic adviser at IoD. “An aviation strategy is not just about laying new tarmac. Runways, transport links, noise and air pollution, tax on flights and the visa system must all be considered together if the UK is to make the most of the huge potential of aviation.”
Yet while the IoD outlined Heathrow as the only option for a hub airport in London, Boris Johnson looked to Stansted Airport in his feasibility report into a new hub further east.
According to the Evening Standard, the Mayor is seeing a four runways at Stansted as a “serious contender”. Johnson is due to submit his proposals to the Davies Commission into aviation growth early next year. Davies’ report will not be released until 2015 despite need for action now.