Business leaders urge fresh look at Birmingham Airport as Government delays Heathrow decison

BUSINESS leaders in Birmingham have joined the growing throng of critics denigrating the Government following its decision to delay the development of a new runway at Heathrow Airport.

The Government has spent the past five months reviewing the conclusions of the Airports Commission, after the Commission itself spent three years looking into the future of UK aviation.

However, the Government has said it will now not be making a final decision until summer 2016, rather than late 2015 as originally planned.

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce described the situation as a “farcical mess” but said the delay at least gave the opportunity to reconsider the role that Birmingham Airport and HS2 could play in shaping future aviation strategy.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of the GBCC, said: “This really is developing into a farcical mess but it does give the Government the opportunity to take another serious look at Birmingham Airport and HS2.

“The Government must consider the impact that HS2 will have in the future. You cannot plan for a sea-change in the UK’s transport infrastructure without taking into account the difference high speed connections between London and Birmingham will make.

“It will put Birmingham Airport in prime position as the UK’s most convenient airport for long-haul flights. To ignore this is nonsensical.”

He said the fact that Birmingham Airport already had extra capacity and the government was already investing in HS2 at least warranted further examination.

“While the south-east is over-heating, we have the capacity here to alleviate the pressure immediately,” added Mr Faulkner.

“We now call on the Government to go back to the drawing board and take a long, hard look at expanding Birmingham Airport.    

“Heathrow has never been the best economic solution and we have many businesses in the Midlands who want local, direct flights. While Heathrow remains full, airlines will continue to look for airports in the UK with capacity, giving Birmingham Airport an advantage.”

Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham Airport, urged the Government to put forward a strategy for making best use of existing airport capacity.

Birmingham Airport has long argued for a strategic network of long-haul airports throughout the UK rather than a continued reliance on the South East.

Each airport would then the economy of its own region helping to shift the balance of the economy away from London and the South East.

Mr Kehoe said: “The UK needs a proper aviation strategy if we are going to succeed in plugging every region into global business opportunities. We have said throughout the Airports Commission process that the review was failing to consider the whole UK economy, the changes that HS2 will bring, or any policies for making best use of existing capacity in the 10 to 15 years it will take to build a new South East runway.

“This fresh delay is making a new South East runway look more distant than ever. It is therefore vital that the Government comes forward with plans to support the UK’s network of long-haul airports now, to relieve pressure on the congested South East.

“The Midlands is a powerful engine of growth at the heart of our country and needs direct aviation to succeed. With our £300m investment in the airport, including our runway extension allowing for this summer’s extended series of direct flights to Beijing, we look forward to continuing to expand our long-haul offering in support of the region’s economy.”