Manchester Airport boss gives Heathrow third runway decision cautious welcome

Manchester Airport

THE chief executive of Manchester Airport has cautiously welcomed the Government’s approval of a third runway at Heathrow.

Ken O’Toole said there was now an opportunity to develop “a new aviation policy that seeks to maximise the contribution all airports can make to improving our global connectivity”.

“We welcome the Government’s commitment to doing just that,” he said.

“Airports up and down the country, including Manchester, have a critical role in the future prosperity of both the regions they serve and the country as a whole.
 
“For example, Manchester’s two existing full-length runways have the ability to handle up to 55 million passengers per year – more than double current numbers.

“While a new runway at Heathrow will be good for the UK economy, analysis shows that growing Manchester Airport to 55 million passengers per year would generate £75bn worth of economic benefit to the North West, six times more than a new runway at Heathrow would.

“Realising Manchester Airport’s full potential will be the thing that delivers most benefit to the Northern economy in years to come, through the employment, trade and investment that it will generate.”
 
Ministers made the long-awaited decision at a cabinet meeting yesterday (Tuesday October 25).

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) welcomed the announcement.
 
LJLA has been a supporter of this scheme for some time, saying it recognises Heathrow Airport’s expansion plans as the best proposal for both the UK regions and the country as a whole.

It believes Liverpool needs to access global connectivity to better meet the needs of the region it serves, however capacity constraints in the South East have meant that the opportunity to re-establish regular flights to the UK’s hub airport has simply not existed for some time.
 
Andrew Cornish, chief exeuctive of LJLA said: “Liverpool John Lennon Airport welcomes this news and will continue to support Heathrow’s proposals ahead of a final decision due next year, so that regional airports such as Liverpool can benefit by the future opening up of access to the UK’s hub airport for improved worldwide connectivity.”

Steve Gillingham, director for the north at construction Mace, which will delier the project at Heathrow, said: “The benefits of Heathrow’s expansion stretch much further than London and the South-East. As the UK’s hub airport, this major infrastructure project will also provide a legacy for all of our regions including the North West.

“A third runway at Heathrow will create 180,000 new jobs nationwide and allow regions across the country to connect to 40 new direct long-haul routes in addition to the 180 destinations that the UK’s hub airport already serves – no other UK airport can achieve this. This is why Heathrow expansion has already won the support of more than 30 Chambers of Commerce across the North of England.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling hailed the decision as “truly momentous” and said the expansion would boost trade and jobs.

But long-time third runway opponent and former London Mayor, Boris Johnson, currently the Foreign Secretary said a third runway was “undeliverable”.
He said: “The day when the bulldozers appear is a long way off, if indeed they ever materialise.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, agreed, saying expanding Heathrowwas the wrong decision for both London and the UK.
 
Greenpeace UK chief John Sauven said a third runway at Heathrow would increase air pollution and “be a waste of time, money and lives”.

Union and business groups welcomed the decision to expand Heathrow. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said it was “absolutely vital for Britain”, while CBI chief Paul Drechsler said it would create jobs and boost economic growth.
 
Heathrow management said the airport was ready to deliver a third runway that was “fair, affordable and secures the benefits of expansion for the whole of the UK”.

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