Airport Infrastructure Debate
Members of the All Party Group on Infrastructure and aviation experts discussed the future of airport infrastructure in a meeting at the House of Commons.
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure last week heard from leading civil engineers on the challenges that face the development of airport infrastructure in the UK. The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP chaired the discussion which covered ground access to, environmental impact, and location of future airport infrastructure.
Arup airport leader and member of ICE Airport Infrastructure Panel Peter Budd started the discussion by outlining the negative economic implications in the United Kingdom did not increase airport capacity.
“Aviation is fundamentally important to UK doing business globally,” said Budd. “Airport capacity is seriously challenged which could lead to severe consequences for national competitiveness.”
Mott Macdonald director for aviation strategy Laurie Price urged the Parliamentarians present to bring forward construction for a new capacity.
“We may be in a recession but we will come out of it and we need infrastructure and need it now,” said Price. “By 2040 could be lacking 1.2 million slots a day if we don’t do anything.”
While Budd said that there was a place for high speed rail in an integrated transport system, Price was adamant that only airport expansion could fill the gap in the UK transport system.
“You need large flows to justify heavy rail,” said Price. “If you put down 3km of road or 3km of rail, you can go 3km. If you put down 3km of runway, you can take 37 million people to the world. You need a lot of railway to serve what a runway can provide.”
A discussion took place about the decision to expand Heathrow airport, with Parliamentarians present believing that public opinion and environmental impact meant that the case for Heathrow to be expanded could not be supported.
In reply the aviation experts made clear that any alternative to Heathrow expansion would face the problems of establishing market demand for any major new airport.