New Runways For Gatwick And Heathrow Airports

Building a controversial third runway at Heathrow airport is one of the options shortlisted by the Airport Commission in its first report.

The findings of an independent inquiry led by the former head of the Financial Services Authority, Sir Howard Davies, has also recommended a second runway for Gatwick airport.

Sir Howard has also said he would consider the idea of building a new airport in the Thames Estuary, plans for which have been dubbed "Boris Island", although he did not include it on the shortlist of options.

To cope with the increasing number of passengers flying into the UK, one of the new runways must be operational by 2030, according to the commission. The second should be up and running by 2050.

If the UK does not expand its airports then it will cost the economy £45bn over 60 years, the report warned.

Heathrow dealt with 70m passengers last year

Sir Howard said: "The UK enjoys excellent connectivity today. The capacity challenge is not yet critical but it will become so if no action is taken soon and our analysis clearly supports the provision of one net additional runway by 2030.

"In the meantime we encourage the government to act on our recommendations to make the best of our existing capacity."

He said that a new airport in the Thames Estuary would be "shifting the economic geography of the south-east of England".

Mr Johnson has been bitterly opposed to building a third runway at the UK's largest airport calling the idea of expansion "scandalous".

Last week Mr Johnson threatened to call for a judicial review if plans for a four-runway airport on the Isle of Grain were not included in the commission's report.

The commission said it had not shortlisted the Thames Estuary plan "because there are too many uncertainties and challenges surrounding them at this stage".

However, it did suggest undertaking a further study of the options for the new airport in the early part of next year with a view to seeing whether it was a "credible proposal" to be included on the final options for expansion in the summer.

Plans for a third runway at Heathrow have been controversial

The Airport Commission's final report will be submitted in the summer of 2015, after the next General Election.

Mr Johnson said that building another runway at Heathrow would be "crackers" and that a second strip for Gatwick would make no difference.

He said: "It is clear that Gatwick is not being considered as a hub airport, meaning a second runway there would only provide temporary relief to Heathrow.

"And that means Sir Howard has effectively told the Government it has two choices - proceed with the creation of a monstrous Heathrow... or proceed with the construction of a new hub in the inner estuary that can be built for the same cost as a four-runway Heathrow, and would bring new jobs, homes, and long-term competitiveness.

"A new airport in the inner estuary is the only credible hub option left, and the only one that would uphold this country's claim to be the natural financial, commercial and economic capital of Europe. By keeping it on the table, Davies is saying you have a choice - between a damaging U- turn or a radical new vision for expansion."

Gatwick is running at 85% of its total capacity

Building a new airport in the Thames Estuary would cost up to £112bn, which is five times the amount it would cost for a third runway at Heathrow.

However, a third runway at Heathrow would require significant work on the M25, perhaps closing it for many years.

Heathrow is currently operating at 98% of its capacity with 70m travellers using it in 2012 but the report pointed out that it was so busy passengers suffered "a high level of delay and unreliability".

If it is not allowed to expand, those in favour of a third runway claim that travellers to Europe will opt to fly into airports at Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam instead, at a cost to the UK economy.

Heathrow representatives told the commission that a third runway could be operating by 2029 allowing 260,000 more flights a year. 

Boris Johnson says a third runway for Heathrow would be 'crackers'

There are two options for the extra runway - to build a 3,500m (11,500ft) strip to the north-west of the site or to extend the northern runway to 6,000m (20,000ft) and use one half for take-offs and the other for landings.

The last Labour government has supported building a new runway but it was ruled out by the coaltion when it came to power in May 2010 after the Conservative party included its opposition to Heathrow expansion in its General Election manifesto.

But the plans have met with fierce resistance from people living in the flightpath and environmentalists.

 Tory MP Zac Goldsmith said last week that any decision by the Prime Minister to back Heathrow expansion would represent an "off-the-scale betrayal" and that David Cameron would "never be forgiven in west London".

He has said he would not continue to stand as a Tory MP if a third runway for Heathrow remained on the cards.

Heathrow chief executive Colin Matthews welcomed the report saying: "This country needs a hub because without that we won't have the long-haul connections that we need."

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "Of course we think our proposal is the best, we have worked on it really hard. Equally, we'll look at every option that's proposed to learn from it. Moving west does make the airport a bit quieter." 

The new runway at Gatwick, which is operating at 85% of capacity and full at peak times, would be built to the south of the existing runway.

The report did not include options for a new runway for Stansted or Birmingham airports, as had been suggested.

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