As the UK’s only hub airport, only Heathrow can combine the mix of direct, transfer and freight traffic which makes long haul routes viable. Businesses trade 20 times more with emerging markets with a direct daily flight to the UK as they do with those that don’t, yet with Heathrow full for over a decade, those routes are instead being handed to the UK’s European hub rivals in Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid. Britain is missing out on £14bn a year in trade as a result. With the North West’s air exports currently valued at £7.3 billion, only Heathrow will keep the UK at the heart of the global economy, connect every economic centre in the UK to growth markets and keep its inbound tourism industries sustainable.
Norman Tenray, President North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said:
“Heathrow is the vital hub connecting the UK to the rest of the world and its economic importance cannot be under-estimated. If the UK is to continue to be Europe’s preferred business destination then we need more capacity and connectivity, delivered without delay.
It’s not just passenger numbers either. Heathrow is now the largest port in the UK in terms of freight handled – a fact that sometimes get lost when talking about sheer amount of product that UK plc exports and imports every year. For many of our Lancashire exporters and freight forwarders Heathrow is essential to their operations simply because of the number of destinations served by the airport.
Increasing the capacity at Heathrow will help drive international trade, encourage inward investment, attract tourists, and create jobs. So too will a concerted effort to develop new routes to global markets from our great regional cities of Manchester and Liverpool.”
Ensuring the whole of the UK is connected to growth is central to Heathrow’s proposals for expansion. The airport has established an independent National Connectivity Task Force, charged with developing concrete policy proposals and recommendations for improving regional access at an expanded Heathrow. Members include representatives of national airports, Chambers of Commerce, Local Enterprise Partnerships, business people from around the UK and airlines. A final report from the Task Force is due before the end of 2014 and will inform on-going discussions with the Airports Commission on airport capacity expansion in the south east.
The move follows a year of consultation with businesses across the UK, during which Chambers of Commerce across the country emphasised the central role transport connections play for business.
Matt Gorman, Corporate Responsibility & Environment Director at Heathrow said:
“As the UK’s biggest port, Heathrow plays a vital role in connecting British businesses to international markets. But with Heathrow full, these trade links are at risk, particularly for the UK’s regions. We want to do more to help businesses right across the UK, including in Lancashire, and the National Connectivity Task Force will help ensure that links to economic centres across the UK gain maximum benefit from an expanded Heathrow.”
Heathrow submitted its refined plans for a third runway to the Airports Commission in May following discussions with local residents and local businesses, the public, businesses around the country, passengers, airlines and elected representatives across the UK. 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.
