Heathrow Airport has ramped up its push for a third runway, arguing that physical expansion is crucial to delivering economic growth across all parts of the UK.
The airport has scaled up its lobbying of ministers to approve the long-delayed project, claiming that 60 per cent of the financial benefits would be delivered outside London and the South East.
The group said it was “laying the groundwork” for its expansion ambitions through signing an agreement with Welsh Steel to power the expansion and hosting its second regional business summit in Liverpool.
It has also inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Regional and Business Airports Group, which represents roughly 40 airfields, with a pledge to protect and expand domestic connections to hubs like Belfast, Inverness, and Newquay.
“The case for Heathrow expansion is an indisputable case for growth across the entire UK,” said Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye.
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He added that the project could be financed entirely by private investment and requires no taxpayer funding. The project is estimated to have a £33bn price tag.
Heathrow expansion hangs in balance
The renewed push comes as Heathrow’s operational data handled nearly 7.3m passengers in October, a one per cent decline from the same period last year. Total flight movements fell 3.4 per cent to 39,809.
Domestic travel inside the UK slumped six per cent. Travel to the Middle East dropped by 21 per cent, while demand for Asia-Pacific routes climbed 7.5 per cent.
Since becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has neglected to throw his full weight behind the expansion plans. He told the BBC in September it was “a matter for London and Londoners”.
But Chancellor John Healey has argued building the airport has “always been a case for growth”.
The Transport department had led a consultation into the proposals that closed at the beginning of September. Healey said findings are being reviewed with further decisions to follow.
Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the government-backed expansion last year, arguing it was “badly needed” and the government could not “duck the decision any longer”.
The airport serves more than 80m travellers a year across four passenger terminals and two runways. The number of flights are capped at 480,000 but could go up to 720,000, an uplift to 2,000 per day, if a third runway is built.