Heathrow Says Poll Shows Members Of Parliament Would Approve Third Runway

There will apparently be no new hub airport in the Thames Estuary outside London. The UK Airports Commission recently announced its decision not to add the inner Thames estuary airport proposal to its shortlist of options for providing new airport capacity by 2030.

In a news release, the Commission said that after detailed further study into the feasibility of an inner Thames estuary airport the commission has concluded that the proposal has substantial disadvantages that collectively outweigh its potential benefits.

"We are not persuaded that a very large airport in the Thames estuary is the right answer to London’s and the UK’s connectivity needs," said Airports Commission Chair Sir Howard Davies. "While we recognize the need for a hub airport, we believe this should be a part of an effective system of competing airports to meet the needs of a widely spread and diverse market like London’s.

"There are serious doubts about the delivery and operation of a very large hub airport in the estuary. The economic disruption would be huge and there are environmental hurdles which it may prove impossible, or very time-consuming to surmount. Even the least ambitious version of the scheme would cost £70 to £90 billion with much greater public expenditure involved than in other options – probably some £30 to £60 billion in total.

"There will be those who argue that the commission lacks ambition and imagination. We are ambitious for the right solution. The need for additional capacity is urgent. We need to focus on solutions which are deliverable, affordable, and set the right balance for the future of aviation in the UK."

The commission said it received and developed a substantial body of evidence that it considered very carefully over a number of months before reaching this decision. It will now continue its appraisal of the 3 shortlisted proposals for additional capacity and will publish the appraisal for public consultation in the fall.

According to Foster + Partners, the company which had proposed the Thames Estuary airport, its proposals are supported by a large number of companies and individuals, including the Mayor of London.

“I predict that Londoners will be scathing in their condemnation of today’s announcement, when confronted with the inevitability of the blighting influence of Heathrow -  the risks, noise and environmental impact of overflying London - and its inability to cope with predicted growth," said Lord Norman Foster, a founder of Foster + Partners. "They will ask why there was not even the courage to further explore – to study – to research - a strategic long term alternative to the instant gratification of a sadly predictable compromise. Adding a third runway at Heathrow is merely a short term fix - it will inevitably lead to a fourth runway in order to maintain international hub status.

"By contrast, a new national airport in the Thames Estuary is a true design for the future, especially when linked into existing and new high speed train networks.  It can be achieved more quickly and, based on independent analysis, there would not be a substantial cost difference between a fresh start at Thames Hub compared to a stop-gap solution at Heathrow."

The company said that the Commission is due to make its final recommendations in summer 2015. Support for a new airport is expected to continue to strengthen, as a third runway at Heathrow will not provide the spare capacity needed for an international hub airport, and a fourth runway would be socially undeliverable.

Heathrow Airport said in a news release that 9 of 10 Members of Parliament (MPs) who back a third runway at Heathrow think it would get parliamentary approval, according to a new survey of MPs by independent polling company Ipsos MORI.

The poll shows 91% of those MPs who back a third runway at Heathrow think it would get parliamentary approval.

The poll also shows that a third runway at Heathrow is the overwhelming choice of MPs from the options left on the Airports Commission’s shortlist. 58% of MPs think that a third runway at Heathrow is the best option for solving the issue of hub airport capacity, compared to 13% for a second runway at Gatwick. Just 13% think the best option would be to do nothing.

“More and more people are backing Heathrow as the best solution for the UK hub capacity crisis," said Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye. "The countries Britain needs to trade with are changing fast and only a hub airport can provide direct access to these markets."

(Plan view of Thames Estuary Airport provided by Foster + Partners)

FMI: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/airports-commission‎