Heathrow today announced an improved plan to expand the UK’s hub airport that will create more than 100,000 new UK jobs and at least £100bn of UK economic benefits by connecting all of the UK to global growth.
The figures are part of Heathrow’s revised expansion plans that will be submitted tomorrow to the Airports Commission. The submission follows discussions with local residents and businesses, the public, businesses around the country, passengers, airlines and elected representatives across the UK’s nations and regions. Heathrow is the UK’s only hub and the only option that will connect the whole of the UK to new emerging economies, bringing jobs and prosperity to the country. It is deliverable, fundable and will create a world-class global gateway to make Britain proud. And it proposes to go further than any other large-scale UK infrastructure project in compensating for its impact on surrounding communities.
Key elements of Heathrow’s proposals include:
- Every nation and region of Britain to be connected to global markets:
- More than 100,000 new jobs created. This includes 50,000 new jobs in the local Heathrow area, plus a further 20,000+ across London and another 50,000+ across the UK.
- At least £100bn of UK economic benefits, better than any other airport expansion option.
- 40 new direct, daily routes to fast growing economies such as San José, Wuhan and Kolkata.
- Doubling cargo capacity to improve UK export competitiveness. 65% of the UK’s £400bn freight exports already travel via Heathrow.
- New rail access to Wales and the West through the Western mainline, the South and South West through Southern Rail Access, and the North through HS2. Total rail capacity will treble from 5,000 to 15,000 seats per hour.
- A Taskforce for Regional Connectivity will be established to develop proposals for how regional air links to Heathrow can be improved. Additional capacity will provide space for flights to cities such as Inverness, Liverpool and Newquay.
- Investment in airport infrastructure will create jobs across the UK while a new runway is being built
We’ve listened to local views and developed a significantly different expansion proposition to 2007, and an improvement on our initial proposal in July 2013:
- By 2030, at least a 30% reduction in the number of people in Heathrow’s noise footprint to deliver the lowest noise levels since the 1970s.
- Located farther south, the updated runway proposal affects 200 fewer homes, preserves historical buildings in Harmondsworth and maintains the existing M25/M4 junction.
- New section of M25 to be tunnelled and upgraded alongside the existing section, increasing capacity and reducing congestion without disrupting road users.
- 12,000 fewer people will be affected by significant noise by moving the proposed runway farther south.
- A total compensation fund of over £550m allocated for noise insulation and property compensation. This is more generous than previously proposed for a third runway and proposals for most other infrastructure projects. (Proposed residential property compensation includes: 25% above market value for properties subject to compulsory purchase; stamp-duty costs on a new home; legal fees paid).
- Improvements in schools, publicly accessible green space and flood protection for local communities.
- A deliverable, world-class hub and global-gateway to make Britain proud:
- Heathrow offers the fastest, most cost effective and most practical route to delivering new hub capacity. Costs are estimated at £15.6bn, all of which would be privately funded. Government support for surface access improvements would be required and is estimated at £1.2bn.
- A third runway would be delivered by 2025.
- A third runway has local support. 57% of local people say they have a positive view of the airport compared to just 6% who have a negative view. 48% of local people support Heathrow expansion compared to 34% who are opposed. And in the last six months 20,000 people have joined Back Heathrow to campaign in support of the jobs and opportunities that expansion would bring.
- A new Heathrow West and Heathrow East layout would mean two, easy to navigate points of entry, improving passenger experience.
- A single transit system to bring connection times in line with competitor hub airports.
- Heathrow has successfully delivered £11bn of infrastructure safely, on time, on budget and to high quality without affecting the operation of one of the world’s busiest airports. The new Terminal 2, which will open in June, has been the safest construction project in the UK and has used a UK-wide supply-chain.
John Holland-Kaye, Development Director and Chief Executive Designate of Heathrow said:
“Expansion at Heathrow matters to the whole country. Only Heathrow will connect all of the UK to fast growing international markets. The plans we are submitting to the Airports Commission demonstrate major economic benefits from a third runway for the whole of the UK.
“Expansion at Heathrow has national and local support. We have worked closely with local residents, listened to their concerns and improved our plans. Our submission reduces the number of properties that would need to be purchased and the number of people affected by significant noise. We would establish a fund to enhance local amenities and compensate residents more generously than previous UK infrastructure projects.
“Our plans are deliverable. Heathrow offers the fastest, most cost effective and practical route to connect the whole of the UK to growth and we have proven our ability to deliver a world-class hub that will make Britain proud. Building on Heathrow’s existing strength will connect the whole of the UK to growth, keep Britain as an ambitious global nation and help the UK win the global race.”
Why expansion at Heathrow is critical now
There is a compelling case for a third runway at Heathrow.
As an island trading nation, good international transport links have been a source of competitive advantage for the UK. Now that advantage is being eroded. Our global hub airport is full, and is unable to add flights to fast growing destinations.
Britain’s other airports have an important role to play but cannot compete with foreign hubs which make long-haul flights viable by mixing transfer passengers, direct passengers and freight.
So Britain faces a choice.
We can have the confidence and vision to develop our own hub into a world-class gateway for the 21st century, or we can accept that in future much of the world will not be able to fly to Britain direct.
Heathrow’s proposal is deliverable – environmentally, practically, financially, and politically. It offers a different and improved approach from the previous proposals for a third runway, with less noise and less environmental impact.
The potential prize to be gained by taking a positive decision is huge: thousands of new jobs, more trade, more investment, and more growth. With new rail and air links the whole country will benefit.
Britain already has one of the world’s most successful hub airports in Heathrow. Building on this strength will connect the UK to growth and help the UK win the global race.
Heathrow will take British people and businesses farther with the long-haul routes it provides that no other UK airport can.
Heathrow will also take Britain further by supporting the trade, inbound tourism and investment that will deliver the jobs and economic growth we need.
It’s time to make a positive decision for future generations and for all of Britain.
Only Heathrow can connect the whole of the UK to growth.
Heathrow’s 10 commitments
If Government supports a third runway we will:
| by enabling airlines to add new long-haul flights to fast-growing markets |
| by working with airlines and Government to deliver better air and rail links between UK regions and Heathrow |
| by developing our local employment, apprenticeships and skills programmes and supporting a supply chain throughout the UK, including during construction |
| by doubling Heathrow’s freight handling capacity |
| by building on the strength the UK already has at Heathrow |
| by encouraging the world’s quietest aircraft to use Heathrow, routing aircraft higher over London, delivering periods with no aircraft overhead and allocating £250m to provide noise insulation |
| by proposing compensation of 25% above market value, all legal fees, and stamp duty costs for a new home for anyone whose home needs to be purchased |
| by supporting new rail, bus and coach schemes to improve public transport to Heathrow and considering the case for a congestion charge |
| by incentivising cleaner aircraft, supporting global carbon trading, and increasing public transport use |
| by eliminating the routine use of aircraft stacks and further improving Heathrow’s resilience to weather and unforeseen events |
- Report ‘Taking Britain Further’ is available on the Heathrow website.
