LONDON: More than 270 business leaders have called on the Prime Minister to back Heathrow expansion plans.
In an open letter to PM David Cameron, they urge him to back the unanimous recommendation from the Airports Commission to expand Heathrow.
They say lack of capacity at Heathrow is holding back the growth of UK businesses across the country and limiting future investment in the UK.
Among the signatories is Mike Turner CBE, Chairman of Babcock International, which operates defence services on behalf of the Ministry of Defence for the Royal Navy at Devonport, Plymouth.
Signatories range from FTSE chiefs and Britain’s key business and trade associations, to leading global brands and SMEs spanning the whole of the UK.
As the UK’s biggest port and only hub airport, businesses rely on Heathrow’s global network to reach fast-growing emerging markets – more capacity will improve connectivity both within and outside the UK, driving exports and stimulating growth across the country.
They fear that further delay will be increasingly costly and will be seen, nationally and internationally, as a sign that the UK is unwilling or unable to take the steps needed to maintain its position as a well-connected open trading economy in the twenty first century.
The Prime Minister set up the Commission in 2012 to find the best way to maintain the UK’s status as an aviation hub. The business leaders signing the letter join SMEs from up and down the UK, politicians from across the political divide, major trade unions and a majority of people in Heathrow’s local communities in backing Heathrow’s expansion plans.
Heathrow Chief Executive Officer, John Holland Kaye, said: “The Prime Minister showed leadership in establishing an independent Airports Commission. It unanimously concluded that expanding Heathrow is the best way of securing Britain’s future as a powerhouse in the global economy.
