Who Supports Growth?


Prime Minister Gordon Brown MP

'We have to respond to a clear business imperative and increase capacity at our airports.  Our prosperity depends on it: Britain as a world financial centre must be readily accessible from around the world.'

Chancellor Alistair Darling MP

'Provided the environmental and access conditions can be met, the right thing for the growth of the economy and prosperity of our country is to build a third runway.'

'The Times' editorial - 16 January 2009

'The Government's proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow remains the most viable option for easing Britain's airport congestion."

'The Daily Telegraph' editorial - 13 January 2009

'Without a third runway we will lose out to Europe....an expansion of Heathrow is important for the future of Europe's biggest city and the country as a whole.'

Transport Select Committee

'It is clear that a chronic shortage of capacity is hindering Heathrow's ability to provide the sort of service to which it should aspire. We therefore support the Government's proposal to add capacity at Heathrow.'

Richard Lambert, Director General of the CBI

'Good air links are vital to UK businesses operating in a global economy, and Heathrow, as our national hub, has been constrained for too long.'

Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive, London First

'London is a successful world city, perhaps the most successful world city at the
beginning of the 21st Century. To maintain competitiveness, a world city needs a world class airport, with the capacity to meet its passengers' needs and its environmental responsibilities. With the right investment in an extra runway and extra measures to confront its environmental impact, Heathrow can once again be the best airport in the world.'

Colin Stanbridge, CEO, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

'Heathrow is a vital business gateway, not just for London but for the UK
as a whole, adding billions to the UK economy through commerce, trade and
tourism. The failure to expand Heathrow will see businesses rerouting their
travel through rival hubs on the continent and make London a less
attractive location for inward investment.'

Frank Wingate, Chief Executive, West London Business

'Heathrow airport, as both a key international transport gateway and strategic employment centre, is critical to West London's continuing economic success. Without further modernisation and expansion, West London's £32.4 billion economy
will suffer.'

David Frost, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce

'This debate shouldn't be about either high speed rail or a third runway at
Heathrow. A fully thought through transport vision would recognise that
improvements to both the UK's rail and air infrastructure are essential.
Business understands the need to protect the environment. But refusing to
listen to the needs of the economy on the issue of Heathrow expansion will
hold back British business in the future.'

Miles Templeman, Director General, Institute of Directors

'A second airport at Jebel Ali [UAE] will open in 2009-10. Contrast this
with the trials and tribulations over whether to build a 3rd runway at
Heathrow which may or may not be open by 2020! If only the UK had the
vision and decision making processes to match our size in the world
economy.'

Iain McMillan, Director, CBI Scotland

'Accessing London's key interlinking airports, particularly Heathrow, is an absolute must for Scots firms wishing to access global markets and customers, and for a nation keen to continue to attract foreign investment and talent'

Rt Hon John Redwood MP

'The UK needs a major international airport in order to sustain itself as a
favoured location for inward investment and business service activity, and
as an embarkation point for a major trading nation that needs to allow its
business people to fly to the five continents to sell goods and services.
Heathrow is too small for current use, let alone for the likely growth in
air travel in the years ahead.'

David Wilshire MP, Spelthorne 

'There are lots of reasons why Heathrow needs another runway. The most
important are the growing demand and the on-going reduction in routes
served. These issues cannot be addressed by telling the travelling public
to catch a train or use a different UK airport.'

Ian Taylor MP, Esher and Walton

'I am, on balance, in favour of a further runway at Heathrow if we are to
avoid route, airline and job losses with the subsequent increased downturn
in the local Surrey economy and employment opportunities. Heathrow's
runways are full and the consequences of this include delays, failed
connections and missing bags.'

Cllr John Packman, Leader, Spelthorne Borough Council 

'Heathrow needs to continue to expand and prosper.' 

Cllr Dan Hamilton, Runnymede Borough Council 

'I am in favour of the expansion of Heathrow and believe it is not only in
the interests of Runnymede residents but crucial for the economy of our
local area.'

Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC

'Aviation supports around 500,000 jobs in the UK, and many others in support services, so the future of Heathrow is crucial to our economy. We want to see Heathrow's development to deliver secure, high quality jobs in a well-unionised
environment.' 

Derek Simpson, Unite Joint General Secretary

'There cannot be a 'business as usual' model at the airport due to the increased level of competition faced from other European rivals, so the alternative is a managed collapse of one of the keystones of our economy, not a prospect Unite is willing to entertain'

Paul Kenny, General Secretary, GMB:

'The existing airport is outdated and over crowded and unable to serve the rest of the UK adequately. The new runway and terminal will bring many employment
opportunities to the UK to replace those jobs being lost in the manufacturing sector.'

Jim McAuslan, General Secretary, BALPA

'At present, aircraft have to hold near the airport, circling it for lengthy periods while waiting for landing, or incur long delays at the take off runway. This burns up thousands of tonnes of fuel per year and results in the otherwise avoidable emissions of CO2. A third runway will vastly reduce the need for any of this.'

Brian Boyd, Unite the Union

'Unite fully supports the commitment from the government to expand Heathrow
to include the third runway. It is time for decisions to be made that may
not be popular ones but are the right ones for jobs and our economy.'

Mick Rix, GMB

'Heathrow faces strong competition from Europe's other leading airports,
which want to take Heathrow's global market. The reality in not building a
third runway at Heathrow will cost tens of thousands of British jobs.'