Declaration In Response To Manufacturers' Call For Permanent Infrastructure Authority

A paper published Monday by the UK manufacturers organization EEF calls for the creation of a permanent UK Infrastructure Authority to address the nation’s long term strategic infrastructure requirements, bring coherence to debates on infrastructure challenges and encourage vitally needed investment to support growth and competitiveness.

EEF says the paper is aimed at ending decades of political wrangling and poor planning, and comes amidst continued concerns over continued prevarication over expanding vitally needed airport capacity, a critical factor for half of foreign owned firms when deciding where to invest according to a recent EEF survey.

The survey indicates that three-quarters of export-intensive manufacturers identify aviation infrastructure as important to identifying new business opportunities.

Heathrow Airport officials used the issuance of the report to make a pitch for expansion of the airport.

“This report is yet more evidence of the critical role infrastructure plays in the economic health of the UK. For 350 years Britain has been home to the world’s largest port or airport, with Heathrow providing the long-haul connectivity that has supported our trading position for decades," a Heathrow spokesman said in a prepared statement posted on the airport's website. "Today, that competitive advantage is gradually being eroded as our competitors invest in their hub airports (while) we lose out in the race for connectivity to our rivals in Europe and Dubai.”

A government commission in the UK is evaluating proposals from rival airports Heathrow and Gatwick, each of which is seeking an additional runway to add capacity.

(Image of proposed Heathrow expansion provided by Heathrow Airport)

FMI: www.heathrowairport.com